Updated June 14, 2018, 7:20 PM
By Ben Rosario

The chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development on Thursday asked the National Housing Authority (NHA) to speed up the processing of applications for 55,000 unoccupied housing units, warning that foot dragging could trigger chaos the implementation of government’s socialized housing program.

Negros Occidental Rep. Albee Benitez also called on law enforcement agencies to secure all housing projects covered by Joint Resolution No. 2 that President Duterte signed last month.

Authored in the House of Representatives by Benitez, the measure authorizes the NHA to re-award to qualified urban poor applicants the 55,000 unoccupied housing units originally intended for distribution to men in uniform.

Benitez stressed that only qualified applicants of government housing units will benefit from Joint Resolution No. 2.

“We recognize the need and growing desperation among urban poor for adequate housing. However, we put prime in the rule of law and the institutional process to address social issues,” Benitez said.

He added: “We cannot let desperation lead to anarchy.”

Benitez was referring to the attempt of some 500 members of Kadamay urban poor group to forcibly takeover an NHA housing project tin Rodriguez, Rizal the other day.

“Pursuant to this (Joint Resolution No. 2) measure, NHA should work double time to institute mechanisms for informal settler families, including Kadamay members, to avail (themselves of) low-cost housing formerly under the PNP/AFP housing program,” he said.