Philippine Observer

Shelter: The Unsolved Problem

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<span style="font-size: large;">This writer’s experience in government service first started with housing. It was the early 1990s when earnest efforts were made in addressing the housing problem of the country. It was during those times that millions of housing units were needed and it was projected that millions more will have to be built in the near future if only to break even with the demand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Government has recognized then that aside from national food security, shelter was second in the basic needs of Man. Previous attempts have been made to solve the perennial problem but it has not been effective. The thrust was to give low-cost housing to the working class. Thus, housing programs and financing were offered to middle income workers both from the government and private sectors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Funds were mobilized in both the SSS and the GSIS institutions for these low cost housing programs. It was also supplemented by the PAGIBIG Fund so as to provide the least interest rates. The Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) tried to bridge the gap as the Housing Loan Originator bank so that housing units can be built and financing availed from the SSS and GSIS that required the housing units first be built before releasing the needed loans to finance them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But the problem persisted since only 12% of the population qualified for the requirements in availing of the housing programs then existent. The D and E classes of the population could hardly qualify since they were not formally employed and does not even have the capability to pay for the monthly amortizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The National Housing Authority (NHA) was given the mandate in providing housing for these unserved sectors of society that formed the bulk of those that needed housing. It is not only in the economic front that the programs will address but also in the social and cultural aspects of the entire body politick of the country. Housing has become not only a political mission but a mission for national survival.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But how come there are still millions that are in need of socialized housing programs? Almost 3 decades have passed and yet the problem increases? How coe the recent headlines have bannered the KADAMAY organization occupying 5,000 idle government housing units in Bulacan?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is recorded that in the NHA that there are 53,000 unoccupied housing units nationwide and these are deteriorating because they are unoccupied and neglected. Even so, they are still not enough to address the situation that is rending the socio-economic and political fabric of the nation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The government seems not serious enough in addressing the problem with regards to spending and allocation of funds in relation to GDP.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The government would have to make a dramatic departure from the past public spending record in housing. Data on public expenditures on housing over the years and there is an obvious fact. The  spending levels on housing have been  lower compared to other ASEAN countries. According to Asian Development Bank data, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, plus Bangladesh, Mongolia, Nepal and Sri Lanka, figures  show that over the 15-year period 2000-2014, public expenditures on housing averaged 0.75 percent of gross domestic product for the other countries, ranging from Bangladesh’s 0.25 percent to Singapore’s 1.6 percent. The Philippines, the smallest public housing spender in the bunch, spent only 0.12 percent of GDP, even less than half of Bangladesh’s proportionate allocation, and less than one-sixth of the group average.  </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the reason why we have an increasing amount of informal settlers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Such investment in housing also redounds to downstream industries such as labor and housing materials supply enterprises.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The investment by government will thus have positive social and economic results.</span></div>
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This writer’s experience in government service first started with housing. It was the early 1990s when earnest efforts were made in addressing the housing problem of the country. It was during those times that millions of housing units were needed a…

Agham Road

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Demolition at Agham Road</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Agham Road traverses a part of Diliman , Quezon City. First of all, Diliman is home to many government offices, Departments and agencies. It was part of having a National Capital that will have all the government offices and even the Parliament. Quezon City was envisioned to be the showcase of the best in the Filipino. A planned city just like Washington DC and even Brasilia in Brazil. To serve the needs of the nation and house those who work for the government. That is why there is a Project 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8. Settlements  expected to house the thousands of civil servants that will man the huge government bureaucracy that will be the human resource of the government.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Aside from the usual civil administration, it also was aimed to come up with the software in human capital. There is the Department of Science and Technology as well as the head office of the source of the funds that will be the lifeblood of government basic services, the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Along Agham Road these agencies are located. But again, there is more to it. Agham Road is where the Philippine Science High School has its home. PSHS is the premier Science High School in the Asia – Pacific. Its scholars are the most “gifted” in all the Philippines. The hope of the motherland as Jose Rizal would have termed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Agham Road is aptly named because of the DOST and PSHS, one for applied theory and the latter for the basic building blocks for national development and progress. The school will provide an endless stream of talent, creativity and the germ of genius needed to catapult the country to greatness. Such was the plan. A grandiose plan and with a noble ideal. So aptly named, Agham means Science in Filipino. Real development will be complemented by the Advance Sciences, Mathematics, Humanities, Politics, Literature and the Arts of the University of the Philippines while the raw talent will be supplied by PSHS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But we do not live in a vacuum. In the 1990s, a PSHS honor student was mugged and killed. Across PSHS was a huge squatter colony. The culprits came from there. One of the best and the brightest the country has to offer was killed by the dregs of society whom he was supposed to serve and uplift when his time came.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The outcry for blood was tremendous. How dare the sub-humans kill the cream of the cream of the Filipino race. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After observing and learning how the PSHS nurtures the future seed corn of the race, I availed myself of the chance to see the other side. The killers. It was the first time I rode a pedicab or a “traysikad”. From PSHS to East Avenue. I had no intention of riding one to be honest but upon my exit from the gate of the school, a guy stood in front of me and offered to take me to my destination. I just said yes. The fare was 30 pesos. Not even the flag down rate of a taxi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The driver seemed gaunt and undernourished. Although there were no inclines along Agham Road, he was huffing and puffing even after 10 meters. Each pedal came with an effort. The fact that he was driving against the wind even made it harder for him. He was also tubercular because I can tell from experience. I asked him to stop and rest. That he did. We pulled over and I offered him a cigarette which he accepted with great appreciation. I asked him to sidle up to a sidewalk stand and I bought him a bottle of Coca-Cola. Upon conversing with him, I learned that he only lived a few meters away. I told him that he should take a break and he invited me to his hovel which was only a few meters away. There I found he has 4 children. None of them were going to school. His wife was lying down and he apologized for her since she also has tuberculosis. She could not sit up for long. He told me that he earns around 200 pesos a day since he was too weak to keep pedaling the whole day. With that he can buy a kilo of Galunggong, some tomatoes, onions and garlic. He already bought rice from his morning’s earnings. He told his 10 year old daughter to prepare the fish with the ingredients and put lots of water since their mother would need to have lots of soup. So this was the other side of the tracks or road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I told him I was leaving and there was no need for him to finish the trip. I paid him the fare plus extra. His hovel has no piped in water much less electricity. One of his sons have lumps on his head. It was an infection and he could only afford antibiotics if he had extra. So, one lump goes away and another one takes its place. I cannot escape comparing them from the gifted children in PSHS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I was walking along Agham Road, I saw the institutions that were supposed to solve these problems. EDSA may be the center of gravity for the body politick of the country but Agham Road signifies the deep divide in the heart of the nation.</span></div>
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Demolition at Agham Road Agham Road traverses a part of Diliman , Quezon City. First of all, Diliman is home to many government offices, Departments and agencies. It was part of having a National Capital that will have all the government offices and…

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