House housing panel chair: Giving AFP, PNP units to Kadamay will require amendment to nat’l budget

An amendment to the General Appropriations Act (GAA) will be needed to push through with President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that Kadamay members may keep the housing units they occupied in Bulacan, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

According to Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, this must be done to avoid technical malversation, since the housing project was intended for low-salaried members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP).

Benitez, who heads the Housing and Urban Development committee at the House of Representatives, assured they can rush through with the said amendment when Congress resumes session in May.

He said he has spoken about this with Cabinet Sec. Leoncio Evasco, who sits as concurrent head of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

“Hahabulin po natin ‘to. Nagkausap na kami ni Secretary Evasco at ito po ang hahabulin naming panukalang batas para magkaroon ng amendment sa provision ng appropriated funds… Dadaan sa proseso po ‘yun,” he said in an interview with radio dzBB.

“Ire-rectify lang po natin ‘yung mga provisions sa GAA. Ayusin na lang, para hindi maging technical malversation ang gagawin ng NHA (National Housing Authority). Hindi naman siguro dadaan sa butas ng karayom ‘to, kaya kaya naman ng mga kasama natin sa Kongreso,” he added.

At least 5,000 individuals have reportedly occupied units in different housing sites in Pandi, Bulacan, including the PNP/AFP Housing, BJMP/BFP Housing, Villa Elise, Pandi Residences 3, Pandi Village 2, and Padre Pio.

Speaking at the 120th founding anniversary of the Philippine Army on Tuesday, Duterte asked soldiers and police to “give up” the units meant for them, promising a better housing project for them. 

In a separate radio interview, Evasco said he was “not surprised” with the President’s pronouncement.

He likewise said that an amendment in the GAA will be needed to accommodate this.

“Following the message of the President, we need to come up with an amendment of law, dahil magiging technical malversation ito,” he said. “General Appropriations Act ang kailangang amyendahan bago maipamigay sa Kadamay ang housing units.”

He also vowed that the government “will address” the problem presented by the recent moves of the urban poor group. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/RSJ, GMA News