^euair
oUhe
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 170
'22 JUL-7 P4:14
RUCtIVED DV:
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR INFORMAL SETTLER 
FAMILIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The concept of a home presents many metaphors. Home is our sanctuary, 
refuge, or abode. At its most basic, home is a shelter and dwelling. Home means 
more than a roof over our heads. Homes are vital for health, safety, dignity, and 
privacy. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that our home is our first line of 
defense against the virus when we are enjoined to stay at home to slow 
transmissions and protect our health care systems. Conformably, the right to 
housing is indispensable to the full enjoyment of other human rights. We have 
several obligatipns including those contained in the International Covenant on 
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Accordingto the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), the Philippines is highly 
urbanizing at the rate of 51.2%, which means that more than half of the country's 
over 100 million population reside in urban areas, specifically here in Metro Manila. 
Cities as engines of growth experience an influx of population mainly due to the 
presence of job opportunities. This resulted in unplanned settlements or informal


settlements which are located along the rivers—Pasig River, San Juan River, and 
several major esteros here in Metro Manila.
In 2012, the World Bank assessed that the number of informal settlers in the 
Philippines has increased from 4.1% of the total urban population in 2003 to 5.4% in 
2012, when 2.2 million live in informal settlements. Of which, 1.3 million were in 
Metro Manila alone. According to government data, there are a total of 3.7 million 
informal settler families in the country.
Unfortunately, the government has not been able to address these problems. 
Our socialized housing development programs are hampered by the slow process of 
land acquisition, limited affordable land, and problems in resettlement site 
development, among others. More importantly, the COVID-19 pandemic has 
worsened the situation of Filipinos living in congested centers, particularly in Metro 
Manila and other big cities, and has brought not only health problems but also 
adverse economic effects which resulted to poor quality of life. Notwithstanding the 
circumstances in social housing over the past years, it is not too late for the State to 
fulfill its mandate of providing sustainable and habitable shelter for its people.
Thus, this proposed measure not only seeks to provide homes for displaced 
families but also helps them sustain their livelihoods by offering them various options 
during the Interim process of construction and relocation. It also seeks to protect the 
urban poor from the impact of immediate dislocation due to eviction and demolition 
arising from several projects, be it government or private. Acquiring decent housing 
should not be an arduous and long process for the poor. Housing should be 
accessible to all Filipinos regardless of income.
This bill is in pursuant of the Constitutional mandates for the State to promote 
a just and dynamic social order that will free the people from poverty through 
policies that provide adequate social services, a rising standard of living, and an 
improved quality of life for all;1 and to promote social justice in all phases of national 
development.2 More specifically, it implements Article XIII, Section 9 of the
1 1987 Constitution, Article II, Section 9.
2 1987 Constitution, Article II, Section 10.


Constitution, which provides: "The State shall, by law, and for the common good, 
undertake, in cooperation with the public sector, a continuing program of urban land 
reform and housing which will make available at affordable cost decent housing and 
basic services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and 
resettlements areas."
The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
TOL" N. TOLENTINO


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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 170
of ll)F ^t; clan>
*22 JUL-7 P4 *14
RECEIVED BV;
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
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AN ACT
2 
ESTABLISHING A RENTAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM FOR INFORMAL SETTLER
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FAMILIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
4 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Rental Housing
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Subsidy Program Act."
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Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
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State to:
(a) 
Promote a just, equitable, and inclusive urban development through 
programs providing adequate social services, broader housing options, 
livelihood and employment, and an improved quality of life for the 
Filipino people, especially the underprivileged;
(b) 
Provide an innovative housing program that makes available 
affordable, livable, and decent housing, as well as access to basic 
social services, especially for the underprivileged;


(c) 
Protect the urban poor from the impact of immediate dislocation due to 
eviction and demolition arising from government projects and 
disasters; and
(d) 
Provide interim housing for dislocated families due to natural and man­
made disasters and calamities.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
(a) 
Dislocation" refers to the state of being displaced from one place to
another due to causes such as eviction and demolition.
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(b)
"Informal Settler Beneficiaries or ISB" refer to individuals or households
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living in their own house or renting a dwelling unit:
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1.
Without consent of the lot owner;
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ii.
In danger areas as defined under Republic Act No. 7279,
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otherwise known as the "Urban Development and Housing Act
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of 1992";
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iii.
In government-owned land to be used for government
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infrastructure projects;
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iv.
In protected forest areas except for indigenous peoples;
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V.
In areas of priority development as declared under Proclamation
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No. 1967, Series of 1980, if applicable; or
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vi.
In other government public lands or facilities not intended for
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human habitation.
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(c)
"lessee"shall refer to the person renting a residential unit.
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(d)
"Owner/Lessor"s\\^W include the owner, administrator, or agent of the
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owner of the residential unit.
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(e)
"Rent" shall mean the amount paid for the use or occupancy of a


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residential unit whether payment is made on a monthly or other basis.
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(f) "Renta! Housing Subsidy"refers to partial financial assistance provided
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by the government to eligible program beneficiaries to rent
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accommodation in the private rental market. The amount shall not
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exceed the rates as regulated under Republic Act No. 9653, otherwise
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known as the "Rent Control Act of 2009".
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Section 4. Rental Housing Subsidy Program. - There is hereby
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established the Rental Housing Subsidy Program, hereinafter referred to as the
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"Program," to provide social protection and support to ISBs in accessing the formal
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housing market. It shall be made an option to address the temporary relocation of
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displaced families due to natural and man-made disasters.
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Eligible ISBs shall receive a flat rental subsidy rate of Three thousand five
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hundred pesos (PhP3,500.00) for those living in Metro Manila, and a rental subsidy
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rate to be jointly determined by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban
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Development (DHSUD) and the National Economic and Development Authority
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(NEDA) for those living in all other regions, taking into consideration the prevailing
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minimum wage and rental rates per region, but not to exceed Three thousand five
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hundred pesos (PhP3,500.00): Provided, That the rental subsidy shall not exceed the
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actual rent: Provided, further. That at any time, but not more than once every two
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(2) years, such subsidy may be reviewed or revised jointly by the DHSUD and NEDA
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to conform with prevailing economic conditions.
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Rental subsidy shall be granted to eligible beneficiaries until the date of
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completion of the permanent housing project intended for them or upon their actual
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transfer to the permanent housing project, whichever comes first: Provided, That, in
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case of delay in the completion of the permanent housing project, the rental subsidy
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shall be extended; Provided, further. That the agency implementing the permanent
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housing project shall bear the cost of the extended rental subsidy.
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The DHSUD and NEDA are jointly authorized to implement a pilot rental
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housing subsidy program in select cities or regions. The duration of such pilot


1 program shall not exceed three (3) years from effectivity of this Act.
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Section 5. Eligibility, - To be an eligible beneficiary under this Act, an
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individual or household must:
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(a) Live under any of the conditions under Sec. 3, paragraph b, of this Act;
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(b) 
Have a source of livelihood or have at least one (1) member of the 
household gainfully employed: Provided, That the daily cumulative 
income of said famiiy will amount to the prevailing minimum wage in 
the region; and
(c) 
Vacate the informal settlement area in which they are presently living 
and transfer or relocate to a safer, decent, and formal settlement and 
sign a maximum five (5)-year contract with the government.
Section 6. Conditions for Continued Entitlement or Eligibility, - All
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eligible beneficiaries shall comply with the following conditions to continuously avail
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of the benefits under this Act:
(a) 
The beneficiaries shall not move or relocate back to the area in which 
they were originally living unless such move or relocation has been 
permitted by the proper government authorities, taking into 
consideration the purpose of the Program; and
(b) 
The beneficiaries shall pay to the lessor that portion of the rental fee 
not covered by the subsidy.
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Beneficiaries who maintain good payment standing shall be prioritized as
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beneficiaries in government housing programs.
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Section 7. Form of Payment, - The rental subsidy shall be distributed by
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the DHSUD in such form it may determine to be most beneficial and appropriate for
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the beneficiaries.
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Section 8. Pole of Government Agencies, - The various national


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government agencies and instrumentalities involved in the Program shall perform
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specific responsibilities.
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(a) The DHSUD shall:
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i. 
Coordinate with housing agencies to formulate Program targets 
and integrate these to the national housing policy;
ii. 
Promulgate appropriate housing policies among the attached 
corporations of DHSUD and other concerned implementing 
agencies as necessary in line with the implementation of this 
Program;
iii. 
Maintain a national database of validated ISBs, their socio­
economic profile, and their respective lessors as well as the link 
to publicly accessible registry of lessors, and the location and 
basic description of the rental housing unit;
iv. 
Enlist beneficiaries and their lessors for the Program;
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VI.
VII.
Disburse the rental subsidy to the lessors of the ISBs through a 
dedicated bank account in a government bank;
Formulate guidelines on the minimum design of a safe, decent, 
and adequate rental housing unit that considers public health 
goals;
Set up a monitoring and evaluation system, tools, grievance and 
redress system, exit strategy, and methodologies on compliance 
with conditions, implementation, output, and impact 
assessments together with its attached agencies, the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the 
Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PGUP), the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), 
and the Local Government Units (LGUs); and


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viii. Recommend to Congress measures for the proper and 
responsive implementation of this Act.
(b) 
The National Housing Authority (NHA) shall:
i. 
Coordinate with infrastructure program implementing agencies, 
including the Department of Public Works and Highways 
(DPWH), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), 
regarding the identification of areas suitable for housing projects 
and the persons who need immediate resettlement;
ii. 
Conduct census and tagging of affected ISBs for immediate 
resettlement;
iii. 
Certify and submit to DHSUD the list of eligible ISBs living in 
government-owned land to be used for government 
infrastructure project and in areas for priority development as 
declared under Proclamation No. 1967, s. 1980, if applicable, in 
coordination with DOTr, DPWH, and LGUs; and
iv. 
Provide a national database of resettlement housing units ready 
for occupancy by intended ISBs of the program.
(c) 
The LGUs shall:
i. 
Assist the NHA in conducting census and tagging of ISBs in need 
of immediate resettlement;
ii. 
Assist the DSWD and PGUP in conducting social preparation 
activities;
iii. 
Contain the vacated areas of ISBs to help achieve the objectives 
of this Program;
iv. 
Assist the DSWD in conducting field validation of beneficiaries 
and their respective lessors for the rental housing units.


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V. Conduct an inventoi7 of rental housing units that are compliant 
with the minimum design and standard facilities set by the 
DHSUD in consultation with other concerned agencies;
vi. 
Assist in monitoring and evaluation of the program, especially 
the continued occupancy of rental housing units by ISBs;
vii. 
Maintain a database of ISBs as defined in this Act and registered 
lessors in their area of jurisdiction that can be linked to DHSUD's 
national database and shared with other concerned government 
implementing agencies of the Program; and
viii. 
Maintain a publicly accessible registry of rental housing units 
with basic description, which are compliant with minimum 
design and standard facilities in their respective area of 
jurisdiction.
(d) 
The DSWD shall:
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Validate the list of eligible ISBs provided by DHSUD against the 
"Listahan" or the National Household Targeting System for 
Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR);
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With the assistance of LGUs, conduct field validation of ISBs and 
their respective lessors for the rental housing units;
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Submit the list of validated ISBs to DHSUD for funding;
iv. 
Jointly undertake with the PGUP and the Department of the
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Interior and Local Government (DILG) the design of the social
preparation; and
V. Jointly undertake with the PGUP and LGUs the conduct of the 
social preparation.
(e) 
The PGUP shall:


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II.
Jointly undertake with the DSWD and the DILG the design of the 
soda! preparation; and
Jointly undertake with the DSWD and LGUS the conduct of 
social preparation.
(f) 
The TESDA shall provide skills training to at least one (1) household 
member of the beneficiaries. It shall ensure that skills trainings 
provided to beneficiaries are in line with the environment of the 
relocation site.
(g) 
The Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) shall enroll In its system 
at least one (1) household member of the applicant-beneficiaries of the 
Program to facilitate their entry into the formal housing market.
Provided, that a national program steering committee, and regional, 
provincial, city, and municipal technical working groups (TWGs) composed of the 
DHSUD, NHA, LGUs, DSWD, TESDA, PGUP, and HDMF shall be constituted to define 
the line of coordination and to ensure seamless program coordination.
Provided, further. That DHSUD shall closely collaborate with the NHA, DSWD, 
DILG and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in the development of a 
program design and funding mechanism.
Section 9. Additional Positions and Personnel for the DHSUD, - For
purposes of this Act, the DHSUD shall. In accordance with pertinent civil service 
rules, create positions and enlist additional personnel to ensure the proper and 
appropriate implementation of the Program under this Act, subject to the evaluation- 
and approval by the DBM.
Section 10. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the effective 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of 
DHSUD. Hereafter, such amount as may be necessary for its continued 
implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act: Provided, 
That funding support for agencies implementing the Program shall be included in the


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necessary appropriations for this Act.
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Section 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DHSUD, in
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coordination with relevant government agencies, shall issue rules, regulations, and
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guidelines necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this Act within six (6)
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months from date of effectivity.
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Section 12. Mandatory Review on the Implementation of this Act -
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The DHSUD shall submit to the Congress a report on the implementation of this
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Program at the end of the second year from the date of effectivity of this Act and
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every two (2) years thereafter.
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Section 13. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is
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held unconstitutional or invalid, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall
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continue to be in full force and effect.
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Section 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, proclamations,
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rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent
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with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified
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accordingly.
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Section 15. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
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after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,