Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

‘Vo, 3782

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section , Article 13 of the Constitution states that the State shall undertake 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 resettlement areas.

Section 39, Article 10 of Republic Act (RA) 7279, otherwise known as the “Urban
Development and Housing Act of 1992,” meanwhile states that local government units (LGUs)
shall be in charge of the implementation of the Act in their respective localities. LGUs are also
tasked to prepare a Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) for their respective localities.

it would greatly boost the efficient delivery of housing services as mandated under the
Urban Development and Housing Act if there will be a focal person in every locality assigned
to ensure its proper implementation. In that regard this measure proposes a Local Human
Settlements OiTicer who should be a resident o* the LGU concerned; a holder of any college
degree related ‘9 housing, real estate, and urbar: planning; and should have adequate years of
experience in the said fields.

With these qualifications, an officer appointed or designated to be the Local Human
Settlements Officer would be able to better grasp the urban planning situation of the LGU they
are appointed or designated in. The grasp and familiarity of the housing situation in their
respective LGU is critical since they shall be assigned to advise the governor or mayor and
other local government officials regarding matt2rs relating to housing and resettlement, and
shall also formulate programs and measures for the consideration of the Sanggunian, as well
as provide technical assistance during the implementation of housing, resettlement, real estate
ané urban planning measures.



In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

“up, 3782

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Ivan Howard A. Guintu

AN ACT
MANDATING THE APPOINTMENT OR DESIGNATION OF A LOCAL HUMAN
SETTLEMENTS OFFICER IN ALL PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES,
PROVIDING FOR ITS QUALIFICATIONS AND FUNCTIONS, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shell be known as the “Local Human Settlements
Officer Act.”

SEC. 2. Local Human Settlements ficer. — There shall be 2 Local Human
Settlements OfVicer in all provinces, cities and municipalities. The local government unit
concerned shal! have the option to create the position of a Human Settlements Officer or
designate an incumbent officer or employee to perform the functions of the said position, The
appointment or designation of a Local Humar: Settlements Officer shall be mandatory for
provincial, city and municipal governments

SEC. 3. Qualifications. — No person shell be appointed or designated as Local Human
Seitlements Officer unless he or she is a Filipino Citizen, a resident of the local government
unit concemed, of good moral character; a hoider of a college degree preferably related to
housing, real estate and urban planning or any other related course from a recognized college
or university and a first-grade civil service el'gible or its equivalent. He or she must have
acquired experience in housing, real estate, urban planning and urban development or in any
related field for at least five (5) years in the case of the provincial or city human settlements
officer and at least three (3) years in the case of the municipal human settlements officer.

SEC. 4. Functions. - the Local Humaa Settlements Officer shall take charge of the
Human Settlements Office and shall:


fa) Ad

2 the governor or mayor, as the case may be, the sanggunian, and other local

government officials concerned regardirg housing, resettlement, urban planning and
urban development, and on such other matters relating to housing and resettlement;

(b) Formulate programs and measures for the consideration of the sanggunian and provide
technical assistance and support to the governor or mayor, as the case may be, in
carrying out measures to ensure the delivery of basic services which require housing,
cesettlement, real estate and urban planning expertise and technical support services;

(c) in addition to the foregoing duties and functions, the human settlement officer shall:

iii

vi

vii

viii

Conduct an inventory of lands, and update the inventory every three (3) years
thereafter, within their jurisdiction;

Prepare, formulate or update the comprehensive land use plan and local
shelter plan, in coordination wich the local planning and development officer,
and update the same at least once every three (3) years;

Identify sites suitable for socia.ized housing projects and resettlement for the
immediate and future needs of the underprivileged, homeless and informal
settler families;

identify and register socialized housing beneficiaries;

Monitor and ensure the compliance by developers of the balanced housing
development requirement under Republic Act No. 10884 or the Balanced
Housing Development Prograr1 Amendments.

Assist in the relocation of informal settler families and ensure that the
relocation site is provided witt adequate basic services, facilities,
to employment and livelihood opportunities;

nd access

Ensure the prevention of the proliferation of professional squatters and
squatting syndicates within their jurisdiction;

Coordinate with and provide ‘echnical and other forms of assistance to the
private sector, international and domestic nongovernment organizations, and
peoples organizations involved in socialized housing; and

Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions as
may be prescribed by law or o-dinance


(5) Consult with the indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples in the design
of socialized housing dedicated for them to ensure that cultural and traditional rights
are respected and promote the use of indigenous, alternative, and low-cost but disaster
resilient construction materials and technologies for socialized housing; and

(©) Coordinate with national governmert agencies and instrumentalities performing
functions relating to housing, resettlertent, urban planning and urban development.

SEC. §. Transitory Provisions, ~ Local chief executives shall constitute their respective
Human Settiements Office within ninety (90) deys from the promulgation of the implementing
rules and regulations of this Act. All existing Local Housing Boards or its equivalent are hereby
abolished.

SEC. 6, Implementing Rules and Regislations (IRR). ~ Within sixty (60) days after
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and
the Department of Interior and Local Government, shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. — If, for any reason, any section, subsection, clause or
term of this Act is held invalid or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such declaration
shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All existing laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations,
ot parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby amended, modified or
repealed accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gozerte or in a newspaper of geners| circulation.

Approved.