KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato, Feb. 23 (PIA)-- To address the needs for shelter of their indigent residents and those needing relocation due to calamities, disasters and other incidents, local government units may ask for aid from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

LGUs may also seek funding for development of public lands from DHSUD, Assistant Secretary for Bureaus Melissa Aradanas said during the press conference at the official opening of the DHSUD XII Regional Officer here Friday.

Asec. Aradanas explained that while DHSUD does not implement housing projects, it supervises shelter agencies such as the National Housing Authority (NHA) and Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) that can provide funding for such initiatives.

"Regarding construction of houses, DHSUD has NHA and SHFC. They implement housing programs, but they do not initiate construction of houses. We need proponents. This is where local government units come in. Foremost, we respect the authority of the local government units because they are the ones who know their needs. All they have to do is submit proposals to our key shelter agencies," Asec. Aradanas said.

Engr. Erasme Madlos, regional manager of NHA XII, explained that they grant P25 million to municipal governments and P50 million to city governments for implementation of shelter projects.

Under this collaboration, NHA has allotted P50 million to the City Government of Koronadal for the construction of at least 170 housing units in a 2-hectare relocation site in Barangay Pangasinan, this city, Engr. Madlos said.

According to Mayor Eliordo Ogena, the housing subdivision is intended as relocation for families that will be displaced because of government projects such as the rehabilitation of the Bolok Creek. The city government has originally earmarked P13 million of the development of the identified relocation site.

Asec. Aradanas added that apart for collaborating with the NHA and SHFC for housing projects, LGUs may also avail of funding from the DHSUD through Section 18 of the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (Republic Act 7279). The specific section refers to "Balanced Housing Development Compliance "

Under this provision of the RA 7279, developers of subdivision and condominium projects are required escrow of 5 percent of 1 percent of the total project cost, she explained.

"We give nonrecoverable funds for land development. The amount will be dependent scope of the project that the local government will propose," Asec. Aradanas said.

"Since the creation of the Department this has been the thrust of Secretary Eduardo del Rosario -- that we go out and inform the LGUs that we have this money because we want this money distributed," she added.

Among the LGUs that have availed of this fund from DHSUD are Kidapawan City in Cotabato Province which was granted P20 million for land development of a housing project and the Municipality of Magsaysay in Davao del Sur for construction of five gymnasiums.

DHSUD has officially opened its regional office in SOCCSKSARGEN Region on Friday, February 19.

DHSUD XII is located at the JYSL Building, Balmores corner Arellano Streets. NHA XII occupies the second floor of the same building.

SHFC office in Region 12 is located at the 3rd floor of Insular Life Building, Pioneer Ave., General Santos City. (DED-PIA XII)