By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Joeben A. Tai, General Manager of National Housing Authority (NHA) on Monday (April 7) said that the 50th Charter Anniversary of NHA will be on July 31, 2025.
The first charter of NHA will expire by that day.
During the Pandesal Forum at Kamuning Bakery Cafe hosted by Wilson Lee Flores, Tai expressed his gratitude to the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines through Senator Cynthia Villar.
Tai said “the new Charter of NHA has been approved, with a P10-billion capital infusion for 2025 budget. “It is up for the signature of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. I am 100% sure that it will be signed by President Marcos.”
“We would like to cater to as many beneficiaries as possible of the P33 per kilo of rice in various NHA housing and resettlement sites,” Tai said.
The NHA has 1.2 million beneficiaries nationwide, but majority of the projects are in Region 3 (Central Luzon) and Region 4 (Southern Luzon Region).
Tai said that the 1.2 million is for the whole existence of NHA for the last 50 years.
“Our mandate is to provide housing units for the poorest of the poor, with 500,000 of those beneficiaries are informal settler families,” Tai said.
The housing unit cannot be leased or sold if the 20 years or 30 years amortization is not yet finished, otherwise, the housing unit will be cancelled and will be sold to other qualified beneficiary.
The NHA will continue with its existing and current housing projects.
Tai said “The President would really like to improve the life of every Filipino through the “whole of government approach” through the ‘People’s Caravan’ and other activities.”
“A whole of government approach. We would like to help our countrymen such that the interest and penalties are bigger than the principal,” Tai said.
The NHA has made a “bold move” with the P3.7 billion which is the total amount of condonation, including the interest and penalties, so that the beneficiaries will have their title for the housing unit which they can give to the next generation.
The poorest of the poor, low-income, and informal settler are mostly the beneficiaries of 4Ps (Pantawid para sa Pamilyang Pilipino Program) of the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development).
“One of the challenges of the Condonation Program, which is from May to October 2025, is information dissemination. Six months from now is right,” Tai said.
Tai noted that the resettlement sites beneficiaries are saying that without the penalties, they can afford to settle their accounts.
“Because of the scarcity of land, especially in the NCR (National Capital Region), it is usually a five-storey where the housing sites, there are allocation for commercial spaces,” Tai said.
“For the first 50 years, the NHA has achieved many projects and program. And for the next 50 years, the NHA will be achieving even more,” he added.
For this year, the NHA is targeting to construct 100,000 housing units, with the DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines) and other sources. “I think the target is doable,” Tai said.
The NHA engineers are adhering with the National Building Code of the Philippines where the NHA housing buildings can withstand a 7.7-magniture earthquake.
“Almost P3.7 billion is the total amount of condonation, including penalties and interests. It is the first and the fifth condonation program under the Marcos administration. If we would like to help, we should help through and through,” Tai said.
“We would like the beneficiaries to be qualified. We are very strict in screening the beneficiaries of the NHA housing projects,” he added.
The relocation sites are supportive for the “Caravan” in coordination with the congressman, where the LGUs (local government units) are the ones responsible for their constituents.
For the next 50 years, the NHA will continue with its existing and ongoing projects, including the Resettlement Areas for ISFs (Informal Settler Families) who are affected by the mandamus of the Supreme Court or the “cleanup” of the Manila Bay, ISFs affected by development projects, and calamity housing projects.
Tai cited the resettlement projects of the NHA in Camarin, Caloocan City — which was established by former First Lady Imelda Romualdez, Marcos; in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan — the biggest city outside of Metro Manila, in Naic, Cavite — with almost 100,000 housing units where the future Naic Global City may be established.
“Of course, we thank the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Philippines where there will be additional assistant general managers, there will be an Office for Calamities and Disasters in the new Charter of the NHA,” Tai said.
At present, the NHA has one general manager and one assistant general managers.
He added that there are housing projects of the NHA which they have turned over to the LGUs for their proper distribution or turn-over.
The former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos was the first Minister of the Ministry of Human Settlements, the predecessor of the NHA, and the first general manager of NHA was Tobias.
“Hopefully, the buyers and the private developers would agree if ever there will be an oversupply of housing units, considering that we have a ‘backlog’ in our housing projects at present,” Tai said.
“Under my administration, we have the Build Better Housing where the housing units of the NHA are with bigger spaces compared to the projects of the private sector,” he added.
For his part, NHA Assistant General Manager Alvin Feliciano said that there are a total of 18 Housing Caravans nationwide with almost 2, 000 to 3,000 beneficiaries, together with the TESDA and different government agencies are rolled out nationwide.
Feliciano added that the NHA has coordinated with the DA, through GM Joeben Tai, for the P50 per kilo of quality rice for the NHA beneficiaries.
Condonation program, Kadiwa stores in various housing sites, Pagbebenta ng abot-kayang bigas sa mga benebisaryo sa P33 per kilo of rice.
“On the Condonation Program, We know that many of our beneficiaries are having a hard time in settling their housing loans such that their housing loan is not updated, hence, we will get rid of the interest so that the can have their housing units,” Tai said.
Tai said that the condonation will be 100 percent of their penalty and 95 percent in the principal, more or less, principal amount and five percent of the interest from May 1, 2025 onwards.
“This will pave the way for them (beneficiaries) to settle the balance for the mid-housing beneficiaries who have long standing loans,” Tai said.
He noted that the penalties and interests are bigger than the principal, hence, the housing beneficiaries are losing interest.
Tai stressed that the Kadiwa stores in housing sites is an initiative directed to the fishermen, farmers in the agriculture sector from April to May,
He cited the housing sites in Pandi, San Jose Del Monte, Laguna, Naic and Bacoor, Cavite and other municipalities of Rizal province.
A MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) between different housing sites of NHA starting March 25, 2025.
“It will help the housing beneficiaries. The NHA is collaborating with the DA (Department of Agriculture) for the access and quality products, including fresh meat, rice and other food products,” Tai said.
The NHA is also supporting other NHA resettlement sites.
“Abot-kaya at murang bigas para sa mga beneficiaries ng NHA,” Tai said.
“Because of this, the NHA, the DA and the NFA (National Food Authority have agreed to supply the P33 per kilo of rice for 3 kilos or up to one sack of rice or 50 kilos of rice,” he added.###
