We can keep our mobile numbers for life; Duterte signs 19 other laws

By Genalyn Kabilng

President Duterte has signed 20 new laws, including measures creating the Department of Human Settlements, establishing a national cancer control program, and allowing subscribers to keep their mobile numbers for life.

The new laws that also include franchises granted to some broadcasting, telecommunication, and power entities were released by Malacañang Tuesday days after the President signed them.

Republic Act No. 11201, an act creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, aims to ensure the underprivileged and homeless people have access to safe and affordable home.



The new department, which consolidates the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, will serve as the “primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement and urban development.” It will also be the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination and performance monitoring entity for all housing concerns.

Republic Act No. 11215, the National Integrated Cancer Control Act, was also signed by the President last February 14.

Under the law, the government aims to scale up programs and increase investments for the prevention of cancer, timely and optimal treatment, response care and pain management, and effective survivorship care.



It also creates a National Integrated Cancer Control Council that will serve as policy-making, planning and coordinating body on cancer control. It will be led by the Secretary of Health.

A Philippine Cancer Center, under the control and supervision of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), will also be established for the treatment and accommodation of cancer patients. The law also calls for the establishment of the Cancer Assistance Fund to support the cancer medicine and treatment assistance program.

Republic Act No. 11202, signed by the President last February 8, allows consumers to keep their mobile phone numbers for life. The new law requires mobile service provides to provide nationwide mobile number portability to subscribers.

The Mobile Number Portability Act aims “to promote consumer welfare as it fosters the freedom to choose and to respond to quality, price, and other relevant considerations without the consumers having to change their mobile numbers whenever they change mobile service providers or subscription plan.”

“Finally, the cellphone numbers we currently have can become ours for a lifetime,” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.

“Dahil naisabatas na ang Mobile Number Portability Act, hindi na kailangang magpalit pa ng cellphone o mobile number kapag lumipat tayo ng network o kaya kapag lumipat tayo mula prepaid papuntang postpaid at postpaid papuntang prepaid (Now that the Mobile Number Portability Act is a law, there’s no more need to change cellphone numbers even if you switch networks or shift from prepaid to postpaid or vice versa),” he pointed out.

Gatchalian said the signing of the Mobile Number Portability Act before the start of operations of the third telecommunication company will spur competition and efficiency between telcos and break the duopoly in the telecom industry by removing a potential barrier for subscribers not to patronize the new entrant because they cannot keep the same mobile number.

Other laws signed by the President are:

• Republic Act No. 11188 or an act providing for the special protection of children in situations of armed conflict;
• Republic Act No. 11206 or an act establishing a career guidance and counselling program for all secondary schools;
• Republic Act No. 11214 or an act establishing a sports complex known as the Philippine Sports Training Center.
• Republic Act No. 11218 or an act recognizing the British School of Manila as an international education institution;
• Republic Act No. 11189 or an act increasing the bed capacity of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital in Cebu City from 25 to 200 beds;
• Republic Act No. 11208 or act increasing the bed capacity of Rizal Medical Center in Pasig City from 300 to 500 beds;
• Republic Act No. 11219 or an act extending for another 25 years the franchise granted to the Iglesia Ni Cristo  to operate private telecommunication service in the country;
• Republic Act No. 11212 or an act granting More Electric and Power Corporation a franchise to establish, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power in Iloilo City;
• Republic Act No.  11193 or an act granting the Malindang Broadcasting Network Corporation a franchise to operate radio and television stations in Mindanao;
• Republic Act No. 11204 or an act extending for another 25 years the franchise granted to Ermita Electronics Incorporated to operate radio communications systems in the county;
• Republic Act No. 11185 or an act integrating the Cebu City Mountain Extension campus as a satellite campus of the Cebu Technological University;
• Republic Act No. 11186 or an act converting the Northwest Mindanao State College fo Science and Technology in Tagub, Misamis Occidental into a state university to be known as the University of Northwestern Mindanao;
• Republic Act No. 11187 or an act converting the Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College into the Zamboanga Polytechnic State University;
• Republic Act No. 11192 or an act establishing the Cordillera State Institute of Technical Education;
• Republic Act No. 11209 or an act changing the name of Lupon School of Fisheries in Lupon, Davao Oriental into the Davao Oriental Polytechnic Institute;
• Republic Act No. 11216 or act declaring September 3 of every year a special working holiday throughout the country to commemorate the surrender of Japanese imperial forces led by Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita;
• Republic Act No. 11217 or an act declaring January 17 of every year as James Leonard Tagle Gordon Day a special nonworking holiday in Olongapo City and Subic Bay freeport zone.

Duterte signs law creating new housing department

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Republic Act 11201, signed by the President on Feb. 14, and a copy of which was released by the Palace on Tuesday, consolidates the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

The department shall act as the primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement, and urban development, and be the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination, and performance monitoring body for all housing, human settlement, and urban development concerns.

Under the new law, the government will establish Housing One-Stop Processing Centers to centralize the processing and issuance of all required housing-related permits, clearances, and licenses.

The department must include the formulation of a national housing and urban development policies, strategies and standards that are consistent with the Philippine Development Plan, crafting of housing finance and production policies, and conduct of comprehensive studies and research necessary for housing and urban development.

The department shall also be in charge of environmental, land use and urban planning and development, as well as housing and real estate development regulation.

Under the law, the HLURB is reconstituted as the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission. Also created under the law is the National Human Settlements Board.

The department shall exercise administrative supervision over the National Housing Authority, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., Home Development Mutual Fund, and Social Housing Finance Corp. These corporations shall continue to function according to existing laws and their respective charters.

The law also calls for the identification, within 180 days from its effectivity, of government lands suitable for housing and rural development.

“That all government lands which have been idle for more than 10 years, except lands owned by government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financial institutions… are hereby prioritized for housing and urban development purposes,” the law reads.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/19/duterte-signs-law-creating-new-housing-department

Ejercito: Human Settlements Department will address housing problems

The new law that seeks consolidate housing agencies into a new Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) will address the housing problems in the Philippines, Senator JV Ejercito said on Tuesday.

“The DHSUD will better address the housing problems of the country; specifically, housing backlog in relation to housing production, the increasing number of informal settlers at risk, and the poor implementation of existing housing laws,” Ejercito, principal author of the measure, said in a statement.

Ejercito was referring to Republic Act. No. 11201 which was recently approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Under the new law, the DHSUD will merge administrative functions of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and planning and regulatory functions of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

The DHSUD will be the sole government agency tasked to monitor and create policies for all housing and urban development concerns primarily focusing on access and affordability of decent and secure shelters.

Ejercito then acknowledged Duterte for signing the law, which he said would “create the roadmap for housing and urban development, lead in its implementation, set the general direction and monitor each project with clear policies.”

The DHSUD will also implement government’s housing programs for homeless Filipinos, Ejercito noted.

“Ang DHSUD ang katuparan ng pangarap ng bawat pamilyang Pilipino na walang tirahan na magkaroon ng disente at maayos na tahanan dahil ang ahensiyang ito ang magtitiyak ng mabilis at maayos na implementasyon ng programang pabahay ng pamahalaan,” the senator said.

(The DHSUD will fulfill every Filipino family’s dream to have a decent home. This agency will ensure that the housing programs of the government will be implemented.) /ee

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1087610/ejercito-human-settlements-department-will-address-housing-problems

Solons laud PRRD for signing Department of Human Settlements Act

Two lawmakers at the House of Representatives on Tuesday lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing into law Republic Act 11201, or the measure creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

House Deputy Majority Leader and Kabayan party-list Rep. Ron Salo and Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, the chair of the House Committee on Housing and urban Development, both thanked the President for prioritizing the bill that would address not only the many problems in the public housing sector but also improve Filipinos' quality of life.

“I really thank and laud President Duterte for signing this pivotal housing measure designed to fulfill our Filipino housing dreams,” Salo said.

“The law is not just about building houses, but improving the quality of life for our people,” he added.

Under RA 11201, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is mandated not only to regulate and establish housing standards, but also to build houses.

The Department also has the authority to open subdivision roads when necessary to address traffic congestion.

It is also mandated to establish Socialized Housing One-Stop Processing Centers in the regions which would facilitate the processing of public housing documents.

Salo said the faster the housing documents are processed the sooner more Filipino families will achieve their dream of having new homes they can call their own.

“The new law is an excellent Valentines gift of the national government, particularly by Congress and by President Duterte, to all Filipino families. Having a decent roof over one’s head is indeed at the heart of the basic needs and aspirations of every Filipino,” Salo said.

Meanwhile, Benitez said RA 11201 allows for a unified direction and consolidated efforts toward shelter delivery for Filipinos.

He pointed out that among the main provisions of the measure is identification of idle government lands that will be used as in-city housing sites.

He said government lands that have been idle for years should be maximized and used for Filipino families who needs housing that are close to their sources of livelihood.

“We are optimistic that the enactment of the Department of Human Settlements is a step towards the realization of providing affordable homes to Filipino families,” Benitez said.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development would be headed by a Secretary, four undersecretaries and two assistant secretaries.

RA 11201 attaches five government housing corporations to the Department, but the law also mandates the Secretary of Housing to work with the Governance Commission for GOCCs to restructure these state firms: National Housing Authority, Home Guaranty Corporation, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Development Mutual Fund, and Social Housing Finance Corporation.

The new law also abolishes the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

The HLURB would be reconstituted into the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission, to be headed by an Executive Commissioner and nine Commissioners, shall have regional field units.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1062368

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development created

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed Republic Act (RA) 11201, creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, in an effort to ensure that underprivileged and homeless citizens have an access to "adequate, safe, secure, habitable, sustainable, resilient, and affordable home."

RA 11201, inked by Duterte on February 14, creates the department through the consolidation of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

The new department is delegated as the primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement, and urban development.

It is also mandated to be the "sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination performance monitoring entity for all housing settlement and urban development concerns, primarily focusing on the access to and the affordability of basic human needs."

The department is composed of Office of the Secretary, and various bureaus, services and regional offices.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is led by a Secretary, assisted by three Undersecretaries and the Assistant Secretaries appointed by the President.

"It shall develop and adopt a national strategy to immediately address the provision of adequate and affordable housing to all Filipinos, and shall ensure the alignment of the policies, programs, and projects of all its attached agencies to facilitate the achievement of his objective," the law read.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has the power to exercise policy development, coordination, monitoring and evaluation; environmental, land use and urban planning and development; housing and real estate development regulation; and homeowners association and community development.

The department, under RA 11202, is allowed to enter into contracts, joint venture agreements or understanding, public-private partnerships, and memorandum of agreement or understanding, either domestic or foreign, under such terms and conditions deemed proper and reasonable.

It can also receive, take and hold by bequest, device, gift, purchase or lease, either absolutely or in trust for any of its purposes from foreign and domestic sources, any asset, grant or property, real or personal, subject to such limitations provided under existing laws and regulations.

It is also mandated to discharge all responsibilities of government that may arise from treaties, agreements, and other commitments on human settlement and urban development to be extended through bilateral or multilateral loans and programs.

The department can also determine, fix, and collect reasonable amounts to charged as fees and charges necessary for the effective implementation of all laws, rules and regulations enforced by the department and impose reasonable fines and penalties for violation thereof.

It also has the power to recommend new legislation and amendments to existing laws as may be necessary for the attainment of government's objectives in housing.

Duterte's new law also gives the new department the authority to promote, accredit and regulate the use of indigenous materials and technologies in the housing construction.

It can also implement prototype projects in housing and urban development undertakings, with the right to exercise the power of eminent domain, when necessary.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is also tasked to open roads of subdivisions to the public, when the general welfare requires it upon consultation with stakeholders.

Under RA 11201, the HLURB is reconstituted as the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC) attached to the department for policy, planning and program coordination only.

The commission is composed of five commissioners chosen by the President.

The existing employees of HUDCC and HLURB will enjoy security of tenure and will be absorbed by the department or the HSAC.

The law also created the National Human Settlements Board that will be chaired by the secretary of the new department.

Other board members include the director general of the National Economic and Development Authority; Finance, Budget, Public Works, and Local Government departments; and the head of each attached agency of the new department.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has the administrative supervision over National housing Authority, National home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Development Mutual Fund, and Social Housing Finance Corporation.

The department is also ordered to establish housing one-stop processing centers in the regions, which will centralize the processing and issuance of all required housing-related permits, clearances, and licenses.

The funds for the creation of the new department will be charged against the current year's appropriation of the HUDCC and HLURB.

Palace made public the copy of RA 11201 on Tuesday, February 19. (SunStar Philippines)

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1793272

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, binuo na ng Malacañang

Isinabatas n ani Pangulong Rodirgo Duterte ang pagbuo sa Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

Ito ang nakasaad sa nilagdaan ni Pangulong Duterte na Republic Act Number 11201 na naglalayong mabigyan ng ligtas, makatao, saistainable at resilient na pabahay sa murang halaga ang mga mahihirap nating kababayan na nakasaad sa Article 9 section 13 ng 1987 constitution.

Batay sa Section 4 ng bagong batas, ang Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development ay ang pinagisang puwersa ng Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council o HUDCC at ng Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board o HLURB.

Ang nasabing departamento ang siyang bubuo ng national housing and urban development policies, strategies, at standards alinsunod narin sa Philippine Development Plan na nagsusulong ng social at economic welfare ng bansa sa tulong ng lokal na pamahalan, mga stakeholders at iba pang tanggapan ng pamahalaan.

Ito din ang magsasagawa ng tuloy-tuloy na pagaaral sa larangan ng housing and urban development at pagtatatag ng framework para sa resilient housing and human settlements para maging handa sa kalamidad.

https://rmn.ph/department-of-human-settlements-and-urban-development-binuo-na-ng-malacaang/

New law creates Department of Housing and Urban Development

The new department replaces the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board

In a bid to streamline housing and land use planning by the government, a new law creates the Department of Housing and Urban Development (DHUD).

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11201 on February 14. A copy of the law was released to the public on Tuesday, February 19.

The new DHUD is a combination of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

It will be headed by a secretary who will sit in the National Economic and Development Authority Board and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, among other bodies.

The department will serve as the "primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement, and urban development."

Its main task is to ensure Filipinos have access to affordable housing and other services that address their basic needs. (READ: Why P600-a-month housing is still a burden to the poor)

As part of its policy-development function, the DHUD is ordered to come up with a national housing and urban development policy. It will be in charge of keeping records on idle lands, comprehensive land use plans of local governments, housing stocks, and lists of housing beneficiaries.

It will own and administer government-owned lands, and must develop and implement a plan for the establishment of government centers in the country.

When it comes to land use planning and zoning regulations, the DHUD is supposed to guide cities and towns in formulating their own such plans.

The law also creates various bureaus and commissions under the department. Agencies like the National Housing Authority, Home Development Mutual Fund, and Social Housing Finance Corporation will be supervised by the DHUD.

https://www.rappler.com/nation/223856-new-law-creates-department-housing-urban-development

Duterte signs into law bill establishing Human Settlements Department

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that seeks to consolidate housing agencies into a new Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Malacañang released on Tuesday a copy of the Republic Act No. 11201, which Duterte approved last Thursday, Feb. 14.

Under the law, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) would be merged into a new department.

The new department would act as the primary national government entity responsible for managing housing, human settlement, and urban development.

It would also be the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination, and performance monitoring entity for all housing, human settlement, and urban development concerns, primarily focusing on the access and affordability of basic, decent shelters.

The law also abolishes HUDCC and reconstitutes the HLURB as the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission (HSAC).

Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority, the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Mutual Development Fund, and the Social Housing Finance Corporation would be attached agencies to the DHSUD.

The law also mandates the creation of the National Human Settlements Board (NHSB) to address the transfer of the function of the HLURB to the HSAC. /ee

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1087524/duterte-signs-into-law-bill-establishing-human-settlements-department

Duterte signs law on creation of Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development

By Prince Golez

A bill creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has been enacted into law.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11201, which consolidates the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, on February 14, 2019.

Under the law, the new department will act as the primary national government entity responsible for the management of housing, human settlement, and urban development.

It will serve as the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination, and performance monitoring entity for all housing, human settlement, and urban development concerns, primarily focusing on the access to and the affordability of basic human needs.

Also, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development is tasked to develop and adopt a national strategy to immediately address the provision of adequate and affordable housing to all Filipinos.

Section 6 of the law provides that, the department will compose of the Office of the Secretary, and the various bureaus, services, and regional offices.

It will be headed by a Secretary and assisted by four Undersecretaries and four Assistant Secretaries to be appointed by the President.

https://politics.com.ph/duterte-signs-law-on-creation-of-department-of-human-settlements-and-urban-development/

Duterte signs law creating Human Settlements Department

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill seeking to consolidate all housing agencies into a new Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

Duterte approved Republic Act 11201 on February 14, a copy of which was released by Malacañang on Tuesday.

The law orders the consolidation of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to create the new department.

The new department would be the sole and main planning and policy-making, regulatory, program coordination, and performance monitoring entity for all housing and urban development concerns, and would primarily be focused on the access to and affordability of decent, and secure shelter.

Under the law, the department would be composed of the Office of the Secretary, three undersecretaries and assistant secretaries each, and the Bureaus of Environmental, Land Use, and Urban Planning and Development; Housing and Real Estate Development Regulation; and Homeowners Association and Community Development.

The department will also have administrative supervision over the National Housing Authority, National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation, Home Development Mutual Fund and Social Housing Finance Corporation.

The measure also orders the creation of a National Human Settlements Board to address housing policies and plans, as well as the transfer of the adjudicatory function of the HLURB to the Human Settlements Adjudication Commission.

Government data showed that in 2018 alone, there was a need for more than two million housing units. The figure was projected to balloon to 6,571,387 by the end of 2022.

The law takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/685415/duterte-signs-law-creating-human-settlements-department/story/