De Castro spells out new rules of housing

The amended guidelines governing the construction of homes for average- and low-income families are now in place, Vice President Noli de Castro said yesterday.

De Castro, also chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, called the revised rules a covenant between the government housing sector and the private developers.

“As we concede to cut the bureaucratic red tape, we also trust you to keep your end of the bargain and make a thorough and conscientious effort to build adequate homes and livable communities throughout the country,” he said at the launching ceremony held at the Renaissance Hotel in Makati.

The latest revisions provide standards and rules that would enable developers to build affordable housing units, including medium-rise buildings.

The Vice President hailed the timeliness of the Revised IRR, given the many changes and new economic challenges facing the housing industry that have raised the need for a review of the existing guidelines.

The launch ceremony also kicks off a massive information campaign targeted at all stakeholders to ensure support and compliance with the new standards.

The newest amendments to the IRR were formulated following a series of consultations led by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board and the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines Inc., an association of private developers and other firms involved primarily in the development of affordable housing.

BP 220 was enacted in 1982 to promote the development of housing units for the low- to middle-income markets by setting development standards that encourage the private sector to build affordable homes that are safe, habitable and cost-efficient.

The law provides for a government body to set these development standards and requirement through consultations with various government agencies and private organizations.

De Castro also revealed that the HUDCC has created an ad hoc committee to conduct periodic consultations with stakeholders on proposed amendments to the BP 220 standards and requirements, and to consolidate and present the inputs from these consultations for ratification of the HLURB Technical Working Group.

The committee will also assist stakeholders on all queries regarding the interpretation of design standards and requirements.

The committee will have HUDCC as the lead agency, with HLURB as chairman, the Department of Public Works and Highways as vice chairman and the Department of the Interior and Local Government and OSHDP as members.–Manila standard Today