Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1683

Introduced by Representative
ROLANDO M. VALERIANO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The housing problems in the Philippines is a serious issue that threatens
the rapid development and growth of the country. In 2021, the housing
backlog in the country is a whopping 3.9 million units, which means there are
3.9 million Filipino families without homes of their own. Additionally, there
are over 4 million Filipino families that are living in unsustainable housing
conditions or in danger zones such as river banks, under bridges and along
railroad tracks. They lack security and safety with no access to clean water
and electricity.

Aggravating the housing shortage are the ever-increasing cost of land
and prices of construction materials, the unabated migration of people from
rural to urban centers thereby making the latter denser in population, and
competing land uses. As a result informal settlers grow in multitudes, forcing,
them to live in poor conditions and low standards of living.

Republic Act No. 7279, as amended, also known as the ‘Urban
Development and Housing Act’, mandates the government, in cooperation
with the private sector and local government units (LGUs), to engage in the
production of socialized and public housing, establish resettlement sites and
improve access to home financing for the benefit of underprivileged and
homeless citizens.

The law specifically provides for the rehabilitation and development of
blighted and slum, or on-site development, to ensure minimum movement of
target beneficiaries. However, resettlement of beneficiaries shall be resorted
to when on-site development is not feasible. Off-site resettlement may involve
in-city or out-of-city relocation sites.

Out-of-city resettlements have often failed because of school and work
displacement and the lack of basic facilities and services in the relocation
sites. In many instances, the beneficiaries leave the resettlements and return


to slums or to where they were previously from. In addressing these issues,
there is a growing clamor to engage in-city vertical housing programs
strategically built in high-density urban areas.

Vertical housing involves the construction of multi-storey buildings,
usually from low-rise or medium-rise, for settlement or resettlement purposes
with attendant basic services and access to livelihood primarily intended for
housing informal settlers. They consume less land and open up more spaces
per square area of land used, thus more beneficiaries can be accommodated
and is well suited in high-density areas.

This bill seeks to mandate the National Housing Authority (NHA) and
other housing-concerned agencies, as well as local government units, to
prioritize the implementation of vertical housing resettlement programs in
high-density areas when such strategy has been determined to be the most
suitable and feasible under the circumstances to benefit informal family
settlers. An initial amount of Ten Billion Pesos is also appropriated to kick-
start the implementation of the program.

The government must provide Filipinos with decent and practical
housing complete with basic amenities and facilities for them to enjoy better
living conditions establish livable and sustainable communities.

For the foregoing reasons, the immediate consideration and approval of

this bill is earnestly urged.

ROLANDO M. VALERIANO
Representative


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._ 1683

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE
ROLANDO M. VALERIANO

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING IN-CITY VERTICAL HOUSING
RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS FOR INFORMAL
SETTLER FAMILIES IN HIGH-DENSITY URBAN
AREAS IN THE COUNTRY, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7279 OR THE URBAN
DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING ACT OF 1992

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the ‘In-City
Vertical Housing Resettlement Act of 2025’.

Section 2. Declaration of Policy — It is the policy of the State to
protect, promote and fulfill the right of the people, particularly the informal
settler families, to adequate housing as a component of the people’s right to
an adequate standard of living. Towards this end, the State shall undertake
comprehensive in-city resettlement housing programs in high-density urban
areas in the country through the vertical development approach which shall
ensure that homeless Filipinos will be sheltered in safe, secure, and
sustainable housing, with attendant basic services and access to livelihood.

Section 3. Definition of Terms — For purposes of this Act:


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a) In-city resettlement refers to a relocation site within the jurisdiction of
a local government unit, such as a city, where the affected informal
settler families are living or to be resettled;

b) Informal settler families (ISFs) refer to households living in a lot,
whether private or public, without the consent of the property owner;
or those without legal claim over the property they are occupying; or
those living in danger areas such as esteros, railroad tracks, garbage
dumps, riverbanks, shorelines and waterways;

©

Vertical housing settlement refers to a relocation site with multi-storey
buildings, usually from low-rise or medium-rise, with attendant basic
services and access to livelihood primarily intended for housing
informal settlers; and,

d) High-density urban areas refer to urban areas with a population density
higher than the average of 200 persons per hectare as determined by the
Commission on Population and Development.

Section 4. Establishment of In-City Vertical Housing Resettlement
Programs in High-Density Urban Areas — Section 26 of Republic Act No.
7279, otherwise known as the ‘Urban Development and Housing Act of
1992’, is hereby amended to read as follows:

Section 26. Urban Renewal and Resettlement. — This shall
include the rehabilitation and development of blighted and slum
areas and the resettlement of Program beneficiaries in
accordance with the provisions of this Act. On-site development
shall be implemented whenever possible in order to ensure

minimum movement of occupants of blighted lands and slum


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areas. The resettlement of the beneficiaries of the Program from

their existing places of occupancy shall be undertaken only when

on-site development is not feasible and after compliance with the

procedures laid down in Section 28 of this Act|-]: PROVIDED,

THAT IN HIGH-DENSITY URBAN AREAS WHERE ON-

SITE OR IN-CITY HOUSING RESETTLEMENT

DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE

MOST SUITABLE AND FEASIBLE, VERTICAL

HOUSING RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMS SHALL BE

MANDATORILY IMPLEMENTED.

Section 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations — The National
Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Human Settlements and
Urban Development (DHSUD), in consultation with local government units
(LGUs) and other relevant government agencies, and concerned informal
settler organizations and stakeholders, shall, within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of the Act, formulate the rules and regulations necessary for the
effective implementation of this Act.

Section 6. Appropriation — The amount of Ten Billion Pesos
(Php10,000,000,000.00) is hereby appropriated to be included in the
allocation for the NHA for the initial implementation of this Act. Thereafter,
the amount necessary for the continuing implementation of this Act shall be
programmed by the NHA to be included in the General Appropriations Act.

Section 7. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations, and other issuances or parts thereof which are

inconsistent with this Act hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.


1 Section 8. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
2. after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general
3 circulation.

APPROVED.