Synchronized housing efforts

In our desire to strengthen and synchronize our efforts, the Regional Human Settlements and Urban Development Coordinating Committees (RHSUDCC) in all 16 regions in the country have been institutionalized to develop a solid foundation for the future of the housing industry.

The committees will serve as strategic platforms for coordination and collaboration between and among the operating groups of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and our key shelter agencies (KSAs) at the regional level. The committee will be headed by the regional director of DHSUD with the key shelter agency heads in the region as members.

Pro-active collaboration

The creation of RHSUDCCs, by virtue of Department Order 2021-001, is in line with the DHSUD’s thrust to promote synergy and synchronization of efforts in the grassroots level, to ensure that all housing programs are aligned and moving towards one direction—that is, in pursuit of our flagship BALAI program or Building Adequate, Livable, Affordable and Inclusive Filipino communities.

This Regional Committee is envisioned to serve as a medium for pro-active collaboration between the department and the KSAs, namely, the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-Ibig Fund, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Social Housing Finance Corp., National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. and the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC), an attached agency of DHSUD.

RHSUDCC members are also mandated to partner with local government units (LGUs) and the private sector in the creation and implementation of regional housing plans and targets as well as in the execution of housing and urban development programs, projects and activities. This allows the department to get vital information from the end users themselves to serve as basis for appropriate and doable interventions.

Also from this synergy, we will be able to streamline DHSUD’s processes, hence, effectively eliminating overlaps. This will save time and resources, which we can refocus to other functions, and possibly new programs, that are equally beneficial to the public.

Importance of data

Aside from synchronizing the efforts of the DHSUD at the grassroots level, the RHSUDCCs will also be responsible for the data gathering and analysis to expedite planning and policy making, program coordination and performance monitoring of the department.

These functions are essential at this time when it is a must for information to be made available online, especially as the public relies so much on the internet for quick answers to their queries without having to personally contact concerned agencies.

The importance of data in effective decision-making, especially in this technology-driven era, cannot be overemphasized. In the absence of valid and relevant data, policy-making sometimes relies on intuition, experience or expertise, all of which may have serious drawbacks. With data culled from the grassroots level, we can craft better policies and programs.

The RHSUDCCs will be under the umbrella of the National Human Settlements and Urban Development Coordinating Committee (NHSUDCC), headed by the DHSUD Secretary, responsible for policy directions, coordination and integration of efforts to help Filipino families realize their dream of having a house of their own.

The creation of NHSUDCC and RHUDCCs will add to the solid foundations we have started to lay down since the establishment of DHSUD by virtue of Republic Act 11201 two years ago for a more vibrant housing industry.