Leyte: Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez is advocating for the swift approval of a measure that would provide a monthly rental housing subsidy to millions of informal settler families (ISFs) in the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, House Bill No. 7230, also known as the Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act, aims to define ISFs as households residing on land without the owner's consent or legal claim, or in hazardous areas like esteros, railroad tracks, garbage dumps, riverbanks, shorelines, and waterways. The proposed bill seeks to offer eligible ISFs a rental subsidy of PHP3,500 for those in Metro Manila, while the rate for other regions will be determined by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), based on regional minimum wage and rental rates, not exceeding PHP3,500 per month. The subsidy shall not surpass the actual rent.

Romualdez emphasized that the measure aims to provide social protection and support to ISFs, facilitating their access to the formal housing market under the DHSUD. The rental subsidy could also serve as a temporary relocation solution for families displaced by natural or man-made disasters. Romualdez highlighted that such financial aid enables low-income families or displaced individuals to secure decent rental housing, offering a flexible safety net until permanent solutions are available, thus improving access to jobs and schools.

The rental subsidy will be granted to eligible beneficiaries until the completion of the permanent housing project intended for them or upon their actual transfer to such a project, whichever is sooner. If the completion of the permanent housing project is delayed, the subsidy will be extended, with the implementing agency covering the cost of the extended assistance.

To qualify for the subsidy, homeless Filipinos must be classified as ISFs as per the bill's definition, and they must leave their current informal settlement and relocate to a safer, government-approved area. To continue receiving benefits, beneficiaries must not return to their original living areas unless permitted by authorities and must pay the portion of the rent not covered by the subsidy. Beneficiaries maintaining a good payment record will be prioritized for government housing programs.