De Lima welcomes Senate panel's consideration of rental subsidy bill for informal settlers

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima is elated over a Senate committee consideration of bills granting rental subsidy to informal settlers.

De Lima made the statement after the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement panel has approved consideration of proposals for the three separate bills on rent subsidy for informal settlers, one of which was Senate Bill (SB) No. 1834 which she filed on September 22, 2020.

"The need to uphold and protect people's right to housing cannot be any more pronounced than today. Housing in these troubled times, after all, has become the frontline defense against the coronavirus," she said.

"The enactment of this measure is a step forward in ensuring that people's right to access adequate, secure, habitable, sustainable, resilient, and affordable housing is upheld," she added.

With this new development, the Senate Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement Committee will form a technical working group to consolidate the measures which, aside from SB No. 1834, also include Senate Bill Nos. 1767 and 1227. These measures seek to provide monthly housing subsidy to informal settler families (ISFs) who are scheduled for relocation but were delayed due to calamities.

In filing SB No. 1834, De Lima proposed to aid both lessors and tenants by extending lines of credit from government-accredited financial institutions, instituting a moratorium on evictions and establishing rental assistance centers.

"Renters and lessors must not emerge from the pandemic overburdened with housing related debt as a result of financial and economic circumstances created by the COVID-19 crisis. This measure would provide a more stable and long-term solution to the plight being faced by both lessors and tenants," she said.

"Malaki ang maitutulong nito upang mabawasan ang mga pasanin at alalahanin ng marami nating kababayan, na humarap at patuloy na humaharap ngayon sa mas mabibigat na problema sa pantustos sa pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan dahil sa pandemya," she added.

The lady Senator from Bicol further said she hopes that her colleagues will support and help in the swift approval of the proposed measure.

"I hope that my honorable colleagues will recognize the urgency of passing measures that will cushion or mitigate the worst effects of the pandemic and the economic crisis among our people," she said.