Gov't washes hands off socialized housing fray

DAVAO CITY, Philippines - Vice President Noli de Castro admitted Friday that the government is helpless over the mounting complaints of owners of low cost housing against the Balikatan Housing Financial Inc., a subsidiary of the Germany-based Deutsche Bank. "Hindi na natin hawak ito, nasa private company na ito (We no longer have control over this, it is already with a private company)," De Castro told reporters during an ambush interview Friday. The Balikatan has taken over low-cost housing projects that have been delinquent in paying the amortizations. Some of the socialized housing in Davao City, which had units transferred to the ownership of Balikatan Housing Financial Incorporated, are in San Lorenzo Village, El Rio, Rosalina, Kadayawan, and Country Homes. De Castro was in the city Friday to inaugurate and ground break three medium rise condominium properties of Filinvest and the DM Consunji Urban Developers Inc. He also graced the 1st Homeowners Association Summit. De Castro explained that what happened with Balikatan was not a takeover of failed housing projects, rather, he said, the properties were sold to Balikatan. A number of complaints were received by various media entities over the alleged unscrupulous manner of collection of the private firm. Most of the complainants who claim to have been victims of the "takeover" of Balikatan are already the third and fourth owners of low cost housing that they have assumed from its original owners. De Castro added that the properties sold to Balikatan were low cost housing that were delinquent in payment with the National Housing Mortgage Finance Corporation. "Iba kasi pag private sector na ang kumokolekta, hindi tulad pag gobyerno na binabalewala lang ng tao dahil gobyerno nga ito (It is different when it is a private firm that collects payment, unlike when it is the government which the people would usually shrug off as it is only the government)," de Castro said. He added that they are not in the authority to dictate upon the private entity on its mode of collection. "Pero baka pwede natin pakiusapan (But maybe we can try to talk to them)," he said on the possibility of changing the term of payment being offered by Balikatan. Speaker Prospero Nograles meanwhile called for an investigation on the matter, as he was even surprised with the issue involving Balikatan. "We will have this investigated with the committee on housing, this is the first time that I have heard of this issue," Nograles told reporters last Thursday evening. Nograles said the mere fact that a private company is making business out of low cost housing is more than enough reason to call for an investigation. "It defeats the purpose of socialized housing," he said. "The housing program of the government is for us to provide more houses for the people, not to embargo more houses from them," Nograles said. The House Speaker added that socialized housing provided by the government is almost totally subsidized. "It is not meant for business," he said. - Sun.Star Davao