NHA cuts housing production goal by hefty 32% in 2020
DELAYS due to the unavailability of construction materials and restricted mobility of workers have prompted the National Housing Authority (NHA) to cut its mass housing production targets by 32 percent this year.
In a recent presentation to members of the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Urban Development hearing, NHA Group Manager-management Services Group Marissa B. Maniquis said the NHA now targets to complete 68,095 from an original initial target of 99,510 houses.
The number of mass housing projects that will be started this year will also be 9.48 percent lower at 51,543 units from the initial target of 56,942 this year.
“There had been, understandably, project delays, work suspensions, biddings have been delayed, carryover projects have requested suspensions to the restrictions in mobility of people, including developers and unavailability of materials,” Maniquis said.
Affected by the delay in implementation, Maniquis said are the Armed Forces of the Philippines/ Philippine National Police Housing Program and permanent housing projects from the Yolanda Housing projects.
Data showed 318 projects, which accounted for 75 percent of total completion projects covering 47,055 units were delayed.
In terms of construction “starts,” 98 projects are delayed accounting for 61 percent of total new units covering 34,528 units.
In terms of cost, the target cost of the 68,095 units that can be completed this year is P24.291 billion while for starts, the cost of the 51,543 units will amount to P45.085 billion.
Further, due to the moratorium imposed on housing payments, the agency now projects its collection to drop by 55.67 percent to P1.25 billion from the target collection of P2.82 billion.
“Based on our projected collection, there will be an increase also in delinquent accounts by some 20 percent,” Maniquis said.
Meanwhile, in a separate presentation, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said that apart from NHA operations, the lockdown also affected housing projects nationwide.
However, a total of 209 developers working on 776 projects nationwide have since returned to work sites. Around 55,546 workers are now working in 319,509 units nationwide.
DHSUD Secretary Eduardo del Rosario assured that the agency and the Key Shelter Agencies (KSAS) have resumed operations with a skeletal work force while under general community quarantine (GCQ).
Del Rosario and KSA officials assured lawmakers that continued public service is being delivered while at the same time, proper health protocols are observed.
Del Rosario was also asked on the latest developments related to the rehabilitation efforts in the war-torn Marawi City. He said construction of vertical projects, including key public facilities, inside the so-called most affected area will go on full-blast starting in July this year.
He also assured lawmakers that the government’s December 2021 target timeline is still within reach.
“The TFBM [Task Force Bangon Marawi] and its implementing agencies remain steadfast in hastening Marawi City’s rehabilitation. We will work double time to fulfill President Rodrigo Duterte’s pledge of completing the city’s recovery by December 2021,” del Rosario said in a news statement.
The DHSUD and the KSAS updated the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development, chaired by Rep. Strike Revilla, on the various measures implemented by the department, as well as its KSAS in support to the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act provisions addressing the adverse effects of Covid-19.
Del Rosario outlined DHSUD’S proactive steps such as imposing a three-month moratorium on housing loans and short-term loans, as well as in-house financing payments, by the KSAS, namely, the Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG Fund, Social Housing Finance Corp, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. and NHA.