ECCP pushes for socialized housing road map

MANILA--The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) has urged the government to come up with a clear roadmap on socialized housing to address backlog and provide housing for the urban poor.

“Socialized housing so- lutions should be possible without moving them out of the city, considering that Metro Manila is still where they are finding their jobs or livelihood. The government can look at some of the properties it owns and transform them into urban medium rise social housing projects,” said ECCP senior adviser Henry Schumacher.

The business group offers vertical developments within Metro Manila that will not require vast land areas to avoid displacing the livelihood of the marginalized sector.

To address the housing backlog, about 5.5 million houses need to be built while another 1.4 million units should be constructed for relocation.

Schumacher also stressed the need for innovative and sustainable housing developments, improving the quality of housing projects and to make socialized housing more liveable.

On Aug. 16, ECCP will convene leading construction and housing companies in the country and will bring Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chairperson Leni Robredo at the Housing Solution Congress at SMX Conven- tion Center in Pasay City.

From 2010 to 2015, the government has provided housing assistance worth P300 billion to 894,569 families.

Data from the Home Guaranty Corp. also noted that some P222 billion housing loans were extended by commercial banks, rural banks, and other financing companies for about 127,500 housing units.