Imee Marcos: Where are the Pag-IBIG deductions?

GOVERNOR Imee Marcos today called for an accounting of the billions of pesos that government has allocated for its socialized housing program as she noted the continuing backlog in shelter projects for the marginalized sector.

“The national government has been allocating billions of pesos for its housing programs, and yet we still lack a conducive housing plan that will address the shelter needs of common workers and the underprivileged,” Marcos lamented.

Marcos added: “Many families, especially low-income earners, continue to pay rent for their shelter requirements. We see a lot of families living in slum areas. What’s holding back the government from providing them homes?”

The governor said it is imperative for the government to bare all to the public and do an accounting on how it has been using its socialized housing funds.

“The public needs to know where their taxes are going, how the government is spending their hard-earned incomes. Monthly PAG-IBIG and GSIS or SSS deductions are made on the salaries of both public and private employees for the government’s socialized shelter programs. San napupunta ang mga deductions? Bakit hanggang ngayon kulang pa rin ang mga pa-bahay para sa mahihirap?” she asked.

Marcos noted reports that housing projects have been lagging between 168,000 and 190,000 units a year, as she expressed concern over estimates by government policy-makers that the backlog could reach a peak of 12.5 million housing units by 2030 if the problem is not addressed. By 2021, the housing need is projected to be around 6.7 million.

Marcos reiterated her proposal for the government to consider reviving his late father’s BLISS housing project which was launched during the late 1970s to provide shelter communities to low-income earners and their families, free up space and resolve the population congestion problems of urban communities.

“The government should seriously look at reviving the BLISS housing project. The booming real estate industry has made it difficult for many of our kababayans to buy their own houses. A state-funded shelter program will click well with low-income earners, including overseas contract workers, who have little, if not none at all, funds for their dream houses. Kung kaya noon, bakit hindi ngayon?” Marcos said.

BLISS housing communities were put up during the late 70s to address the basic needs of shelter and services of urban poor families. The nationwide housing program did not only provide shelter units to low-income groups but also basic social services and income-generating activities.

Under the scheme, slum areas were rehabilitated and slum dwellers were relocated to more habitable human settlement within Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

BLISS facilities included home lots and housing units; community facilities such as schools, chapels and sports grounds; and small-scale employment, including cottage industries./PN