The AKBAYAN (Citizen's Action Party) views with deep concern the recent developments within the government's housing sector. The replacement of Secretary Karina Constantino-David as Housing Adviser, and the creation of the Presidential Commission on Mass Housing (PCMH) are but growing signs that the Estrada Administration is starting to veer away from its avowed support to provide decent and affordable housing for the poor. It is equally alarming to note the President's choice for housing adviser shold come from a sector proven to have ignored the housing problems of the poor in the pursuit of its own agenda. This only intesifies serious suspicions that the President is finally yielding to the pressure coming from big housing developers led by the Construction and Real Estate Builders Association (CREBA).
The CREBA, a large and influential association of real estate developers has always been very vocal about its opposition to the leadership of Sec. David, and undoubtedly, the symbol she represents. Coming from the progressive ranks, Sec. David's assumption to the leadership position of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) has been widely unwelcomed by the CREBA viewing it as anathema to their own business agenda.
AKBAYAN! deplores this machinations by CREBA to marginalize Sec. David within the government's housing sector. Urban housing development should always be seen from the point of view of answering the housing needs, more specifically, of the majority of the population. In other words, the urban housing development program of the government should train its sights on providing mass housing to the urban poor, the sector that could least afford the kind of housing the private sector offers. Instead of making the urban poor bear the burden of the social cost of development they should be treated as a productive social base with a great potential for increased productivity given the chance to live decently.
Should President Estrada decide to prove true to his pro-poor rhetoric, then we strongly urge him to reconsider his decision to replace Secretary David with somebody who clearly does not represent the interests of the majority of Filipinos in need of decent and affordable housing.
