Government’s housing program targets ‘a home for every family’…launches Pabahay Caravan in Bicol
by Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, October 19 (PIA) -- The government remains relentless in pursuing its goal to provide decent and affordable houses for millions of Filipino families across the nation with still none to call their own.

Vice President and housing czar Jejomar Binay, in his visit here during the interfacing with the stakeholders and local media, said the government under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has already initially spent some P4 billion for the construction of around 21,800 units for members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Binay, chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating council (HUDCC), another P4 billion is earmarked next year for the construction of houses for thousands of homeless military and police personnel, he said.

Housing development studies, according to him, are still on the drawing board for the construction of medium rise buildings in Southern Luzon to accommodate 100,000 informal settlers.

Binay was in this city October 17-18 and led the launching in Bicol of the “Pabahay Caravan”, a program that would provide Filipino families a decent and affordable housing.

With the battle cry, “Sa Pabahay Gaganda ang Buhay” Binay said that HUDCC is committed to give Filipino families not just with the infrastructure of a house, but a framework of a home; building not just a neighborhood, but a real harmonious community.

During the caravan, Binay also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between Ligao City and Pag-Ibig Fund to finance the construction of Ligao Socialized Housing project to benefit some 388 families of LGU employees, public school teachers and other government employees.

He also awarded Transfer Certificates of Title (TCT) to 20 housing beneficiaries from two community associations in Daet, Camarines Norte under the SHFC Community Mortgage Program.

He also distributed TCTs to seven housing loan borrowers who have fully-paid their accounts under the NHMFC Unified Home Lending Program.

Meanwhile, Binay noted that the government needs to infuse P1.7 trillion to address the housing needs of millions of people across the country with an estimated 3.7 million housing backlog that is currently drawing back the government housing program.

He said the problem on housing backlog still persist as funds available for this sector is still not sufficient to meet the current housing demands.

In Bicol alone, the housing backlog is placed at 320,000 units spread over the six provinces.

Asked how the housing sector contributes to the country’s economic growth, Binay said the housing sector had infuse billions of investment funds that fairly pushed the economy.

He said the sector has also gave its share in jobs generation citing statistics that eighth jobs are created in every housing unit developed.

Agencies under Binay’s turf are the HUDCC, Housing and Land Use Regulatoy Board (HLURB), Pag-ibig Fund, Social Housing Finance Corp., (SHFC), National Housing Authority (NHA), Home Guaranty Corp. (HGC) and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation. (MAL, PIA V)

VP Binay inaugurates Sorsogon City housing units; to join Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 Fun Run tomorrow

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY ,October 19 (PIA) -- Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, Sr. will be the guest of honor in the inauguration of several housing units in Barangay Talisay, here in Sorsogon City today upon his arrival , this is in line with the celebration of this year's Kasanggayahan Festival (KF) 2011 with the theme : Going Beyond and an inspiration to local chief executives to go beyond in rendering service to the people, especially on the issue of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (CCMA)." Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda said in a briefing to the city officials and employees yesterday.

The Vice President's presence here is part of his role as the chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC)

to implement and oversee the government's thrust to coordinate activities of government housing agencies specially in line with the standards to be instituted as a CCMA mechanisms across the country according to Dioneda.

In a press statement this morning, he said that as the local chief executive of the the city of Sorsogon he has seen the need to seek for the assistance and support of the vice president, he being appointed as the Housing Czar by no less than President Aquino and that the thrusts of the city government is to make their housing units more resistant to the adverse effects of bad weather conditions and at the same time serve as housing models for CCAM.

It can be recalled that Barangay Talisay is one of the areas usually severely affected during typhoons and storm surge aside from several other barangays here due to its proximity to Sorsogon Bay.

Mayor Dioneda said that the housing units to be inaugurated in barangay Talisay will also be replicated in other barangays here also considered highly vulnerable to natural calamities.

During today's visit, the vice president is also expected to inspect the five school mitigating, adapting and resilient to typhoons (SMART) here in the city , a project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Water Treatment Facility and several housing units initiated by other local governments in the province.

VP Binay will also meet with other local chief executives here whose areas are usually affected by natural calamities and to discuss some concerns regarding ways to institute a quality housing provisions for those who are usually affected by severe weather disturbance, identify relocation areas and provide housing that can withstand such adverse effects of the change in weather conditions.

Mayor Dioneda also said that he will be visiting the "All Weather Station" of the city that has been installed to help in the 24 hour monitoring activity of the weather condition here and a mitigating measure in creating a resilient community.

The vice president will also meet with other agencies that work in disaster management to discuss concerns how to improve the housing situation in the province become a CCMA houses.

His presence today and tomorrow will be an added attraction also to the celebration of the KF 2011 as he will spearhead tomorrow's fun run as organized by his fraternity brothers in the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Workers, employers to attend orientation on labor laws/relations

by Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, October 19 (PIA) -– Some 60 workers and employers are expected to attend an Orientation Seminar on Labor Standards and Labor Relations Law aimed to promote and maintain industrial peace in the workplace by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here tomorrow October 20.

Chief Labor and Employment Officer Ruben L. Romanillos said that labor standards laws or rights and obligations of workers and management prerogatives will be discussed to include wages , holiday and overtime pay, service and incentive pay; and retirement and separation pay.

He said that they will also tackle labor relations laws or house rules and regulations, rules and suspensions, abandonment and terminations/resignations as basis for discipline in the workplace.

They will also explain Single Entry Approach (SENA), an strategy to solve labor dispute between workers and employers within 30 days at DOLE Office.

A technical assistance and advisory visit will be part of the half day orientation of the DOLE.

Romanillos added that they will organize the Industry Tripartite Council (ITC) – for retail/service establishments here which will serve as a consultative body on various labor issues affecting the industry.

It will be recalled that almost the same orientation was conducted by the DOLE to workers and videoke bars owners in Daet last September 29 with additional topic on the Provincial Ordinance 71-2010 and Republic Act 9231 on Children’s Rights and Welfare.

The DOLE also organized Industry Tripartite Council (ITC) for Videoke Bars in Daet that will serve as a consultative body for the said group. (RBM, PIA Camarines Norte)

3 students to represent Catanduanes in the 20th PSQ Regional Finals
VIRAC, Catanduanes, October 19 (PIA) -- Three freshmen students from Catanduanes State Colleges (CSC) and Catanduanes College will represent the province in the 20th Philippine Statistical Quiz (PSQ) Regional finals on November 17 in Legazpi City.

William Angelo Gonzales and Acer Villanueva of CSC got the first and second place during the provincial elimination held by the NSO Catanduanes Provincial Office last October 10, while Eunice Isuela of Catanduanes College took the last spot after finishing third.

The contestants will be accompanied by their coaches Vicente Padilla of CSC and Nieva Vega of Catanduanes College for the regional finals.

The winner of the regional elimination will be the representative to the PSQ National Finals on December 6.

The PSQ seeks to assess the competency and skills of students in statistics as acquired from the secondary curriculum; promote, enhance and instill awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of science, statistics in particular, among studentry; and, generate public awareness on the important uses of statistics and win overall support for all government statistical activities. (MAL/EAB/NSO Catanduanes)