By Jovee Marie de la Cruz - June 6, 20188

The chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development is urging the National Housing Authority (NHA) to nullify the transfer of rights for housing units unlawfully sold by beneficiaries of the government’s socialized housing programs.

In House Resolution 1906, Rep. Alfredo Benitez  of the Third District of Negros Occidental said there are many cases where beneficiaries of the housing programs of the NHA had either sold or rented out the housing units and/or lots awarded to them.

“The government should put an end to [the] housing [sector’s] boom and bust situation blamed mostly to so-called professional urban poor community settlers,” he said.

“The NHA should conduct a thorough investigation to identify the housing units that have been disposed [of] by the original beneficiaries through sale or lease; and declare as null and void the transactions with the original beneficiaries as provided by law,” Benitez said.

He added this practice has hindered the success of the government’s housing program.

According to Benitez, the NHA should develop mechanisms to transfer the rights for housing units, whose owners have been proven to dispose of their awarded house and/or lots through sale or lease, to other qualified beneficiaries.

He said these mechanisms should prioritize the actual occupant of the housing units disposed of by the original awardees as the new beneficiaries who will get new contracts with the NHA.

Under Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act, socialized housing units, including its improvement, cannot be “sold, alienated, conveyed, encumbered or leased by any beneficiaries.”

Benitez cited Section 14 of the law that provides that “the unlawful sale, transfer or disposition of the lot awarded shall be null and void and the beneficiary will lose his/her right to the land.”