CEBU CITY, Cebu - Aimed at strengthening Government's housing delivery programs among local government units (LGUs) in the country, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) launched its Pabahay Caravan at the Radisson Blu Hotel here with some 90 local chief executives from Central Visayas in attendance. The two-day event, held last February 16 and 17 at said hotel, is the first of a series of activities by the HUDCC chaired by Vice-President Jejomar Binay. Binay, who was not present in the launch, was represented by daughter, Nancy who, in a speech she read for her father, said the rolling out of the nationwide Pabahay Caravan, is Government's "way of coming to your doorsteps, bearing the good news of housing. We come to the doorsteps of every local government unit to offer partnership with the national government in bringing the benefits of home ownership to your own local constituents." The Vice-President/HUDCC Chairman noted the size and extent of the country's housing requirement and what these entail in terms of resources and processes and said in the Caravan's various stops, there will be workshops and clinics to address those and other related concerns. He pointed out that many LGUs are not entirely dependent on the national government for housing because they either have their own resources, or are unaware about how to make a local housing program work for their constituents. "Others, of course, simply lack the funds for housing," Binay said in his speech.
"These need a different kind of help, but for those who have their own resources, what they need in fact is program and technical assistance from the national shelter agencies - from land acquisition to site development and the provision of basic facilities for housing construction." He underlined that in Central Visayas alone, 12 LGUs have no approved comprehensive land use plans (CLUPs) which are crucial tools to ensure rational, socio-economic and ecologically balanced and sustainable development of resources and human settlements. Last week's launch of the Caravan also brought up Government's various programs involving housing and other related services. Also at the event were representatives from the National Housing Authority, and the Home Development Mutual Fund among other agencies.
