Housing confab

Housing confab
Manila Standard Today
By Isah V. Red
August 18, 2011

The 2nd National Convention of the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP) and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to be held on Aug. 25-26, is topbilled by guests and resource persons assured to make it a convergence of multi-sectoral stakeholders in search of low-end housing solutions.

With the Holiday Inn Hotel, Clark Freeport Philippines, Pampanga as venue, the two-day convention targets the active multi-stakeholder participation, not only of government housing agencies, the private real estate practitioners, but also of the local government units, the commerce and trade groups, according to Engineer Jefferson S. Bongat, OSHDP national president.

President Benigno S. Aquino III has been invited to keynote the opening of the convention, with Vice President Jejomar C. Binay expected to lead guests on the second day.

The first plenary session opens with Economic Planning Sec. Cayetano Paderanga to give an overview of the role of housing under the government’s development blueprint, the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016.

This early the following speakers for Day 1 have confirmed their attendance: Atty. Miguel B. Varela, chairman emeritus of the Phil. Chamber of Commerce and Industry(PCCI), to speak on “The PCCI as Partner of Government in Sustaining Housing Delivery;” Interior Sec. Jesse M. Robredo, “Local Government Units’ Role in Support of Socialized and Low-Cost Housing;” BIR Dep. Com. Nelson M. Aspe, “Tax Incentives to Socialized and Low-Cost Housing;” Land Registration Authority Dep. Administrator Robert Nomar V. Leyretana and LARES president Delfin T. Hallare, Jr., “Computerization of Land Titling Process.”

For his part, Atty. Christopher Ryan T. Tan, OSHDP vice president and overall convention chairman, reported that Day 2 opens with a Panel Discussion with heads of government housing agencies on initiatives to ensure an enabling policy environment and program implementation impetus to socialized housing.

The Panel of resource persons include: Atty. Antonio M. Bernardo, Commissioner and CEO, Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board; Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, president and CEO, Home Development Mutual Fund; Ma. Ana R. Oliveros, president, Social Housing Finance Corporation; Atty. Chito M. Cruz, General manager, National Housing Authority; Atty. Manuel R. Sanchez, president, Home Guaranty Corporation; and Joseph Peter S. Sison, president, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation.

Special Guest of Honor and Luncheon Speaker is Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, concurrent Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council.

Rounding up the list of afternoon speakers are Senator Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Chairman Committee on Housing and Urban Development, “Updates on Legislative Agenda for Housing;” Guillermo C. Choa, president, Property of Friends, “How Developers Adapt to Limitations in Funding for Housing;” Dr. Nathaniel von Einsiedel, chairman, CONCEP, “Innovative Construction Techniques in Socialized Housing;” Benedict Balderrama, National Coordinator, PHILSSA, and Rafael C. Lopa, PBSP Executive director and Rene Fortuno, director, both on “Success Stories in Cooperative/Corporate Housing.”