In celebration of Women’s this March, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain, Intramuros Administration and the Film Development Council of the Philippines will be holding “Espacio Femenino: Spanish and Filipino Female Filmmakers,” featuring movies by female directors. The film cycle aims to highlight the contribution of women to the film industry.
The movies will be screened every Saturday at 4PM in Instituto Cervantes Intramuros, located at Plaza San Luis Complex, Intramuros.
Opening feature on March 9 is the Spanish film “Los amores cobardes” (2018) by Carmen Blanco. It tells the story of Eva, a strong and independent woman, who returns to her hometown to spend the summer holidays with her mother and Gema, her only true friend. She least expects to meet Ruben, her ex-boyfriend, who broke off with her unexpectedly years ago for no apparent reason without even saying goodbye.
The Galician film “A palabra xusta” (2016) will be shown on March 16. It had for protagonist a 92-year-old teacher who returns to a house that has seemingly stood still in time. There, she starts a conversation with her memories, reflections of a life trapped in old photographs, and the memory of the love of her life, Antonio Beiras.
On March 23, short films by female directors will be featured, such as “Café para llevar” (2014), “Una vez” (2015), “Camino de agua para un pez “(2016), “Einstein-Rosen” (2016), “Lucrecia “(2016), “Conservas” (2017), and a Filipino short film --“Gikan sa Ngitngit nga Kinaidlaman” (2017).
Finally, the film cycle will close with the movie “Con el viento” (2017) by Meritxell Colell, which is about a dancer and choreographer, Mónica, who receives a call informing that her father is seriously ill. Unfortunately, he dies before she gets to see him. Her mother asks her to stay and help her sell the house. However, they are like two strangers who will have to know more about each other and learn to live together.
FREE ADMISSION on a first-come, first-served basis. For further information please log on to Instituto Cervantes’ website (http://manila.cervantes.es), Instituto Cervantes Facebook page Instituto Cervantes de Manila.
***
Catriona Gray’s homecoming
Miss Universe Catriona Gray is being accorded a grand homecoming as fit a queen that brought honor and pride to her country.
Coming from Novotel Manila Araneta Center, her homecoming parade will start at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, taking her and her entourage Roxas Blvd, Taft, Ayala and back to Araneta Center.
Catriona will be riding in a fabulous float designed by Fritz C Silorio who is an award-winning indie film director. Fritz said the float was inspired by Catriona’s lava gown.
Before she returns to New York, Catriona will be feted with a homecoming dinner by Bb. Pilipinas executives.
***
Happy birthday greetings today, Feb. 21, go to Fiesta Tañada, Edward Eirone Nodora, Bobby M. Hernandez, Delia Rarela Barcelona, Des Robles Santos, Rey Cabiling, Richard Hinola, Chester Ocampo, Michael Alunan, Paul Sequitin Segui, Orlando Red Serrano II, Kagawad Helen Vargas Lara, Gerlie Nombre-Garcia, Cherry Regalado Mortel, Leabel Sanchez, Lilibet A. Amatong, Marielle Infantado - Kelly, Tony Gloria of United Pictures, Jinky Llamanzares, Maria Lourdes “Girlie” Guillen, Jim M. Fernandez, Mike Alunan, Lilia Duldulao, Beth Virtucio, Dr. Delia R. Barcelona, Paolo Perez, Doreen Belen of Hawaii, U.S.A., Gigi Paras, Severiano “Boy” Velasco, Jennifer Fong, Rangi Paula Mercado, Guy Burchett of United Kingdom, Richard Hinola, Rochelle Raki Vega-Siu and Don Morales, Jacob delos Reyes, Jon J Timmons and Love Anover Lianko of GMA Network... Belated happy birthday greetings to Honeylet Avancena, Rev. Fr. Rafael Quejada, O.P.; Ramir Rellora; Simon Bonto Billena; Ellen Raymundo; Socorro Musngi Tambuli; Commissioner Ermie Lagman Garon; Aries Ayos; Simon Leighton; Annamie Dacalos Villasan; Merarie Rocamora; Helen Ibardaloza Ventura; Nanay Mila Villamil; Fiona Liza Yao Bernardino daughter of Jocelyn Yao Bernardino; Leny Manalo; Atty. Vyva Aguirre; Adolf Azcuna, Ria NG; Dexter Estacio; Lisa Juliano; DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda; Allan Joseph Gamboa, Tim Tam, Benedict Exconde; Noy Jopson; Ernie Besinio; Menchie Larasan Escandalio; Noy Lauzon, Zsarlene Chua, Tere Militante, Kristina Muñiz, Shayne Mykaela Ubongen and Sean Matthew Benedict Ubongen son and daughter of Lee Rhyan Ubongen, Trisha Ilarde, Matt David, Ibs Undug husband of Jade Undug, Pareng Terry de Leon, Tita Elvie Yambao, Ricardo Vigilla, Clyde Sandia, Jasmin Almazan Lara, Jack Bunag, Ozzmack De Vera, Denfa Egera Quimat, Nica Glorioso, Helen Getizo, Ate Cherry Salac, Robert M. Young, Erlinda “Liding” Oledan, Julie Esguerra, Mark Lapid, Winston Marbella, Sonny Tanchanco, Josie Puzon, Bob Velasco, Jr., Lily A. Foronda, Tessie Luz, Jose Midas Marquez, Lily Fermin mother of Isaiah Fermin, Rhiza Pascua, Joseph Astrud Pineda, Lulu Reyes, Grace Ramirez, Thelma Matias, Rafael Aquino, Mary Jane Papin, Charlie Green, Jack Reid and Shermaine Santiago Macugay (Feb. 16); Jayren Mae Rafol Rones, Harvey Ong, Yumz Paulo, Aldea Flores and Francis “Jun” Posadas (Feb. 19); Mary Paul Quiamco, Brian Monaghan, Cheska Mikaela Kabiling, Lorenzo Leviste and Maria Tronqued-Lagniton, Sob Patrick Luis Pacia, Don Phopitz Malig Dungca, Jun Mendoza, Sockie Fernandez, Ken Alfonso, Marc Carlos De Leon, Hidilyn Diaz Oly, Nilo Divina, Elidel Estrada, Jamie Ortega, Rick Sanchez Subardiaga, Rolly Catanes, Jew-knee Junie Lay-low; Joey Ortega; Ed Tayag; Marie Valenzuela; Chari Bagatsing, Teresita “Tita” Abiva, Emy Rodriguez, Ditas Remulla, Lalaine Legasto, Enrico Castelo, Marina Calma Visaya, Perla Dungo, Tiffany Santos Red, Amelia Lopez, Mary Grace Agoncillo, Prof. Lulu Geslani, Dolly Bohol, US-based journalist Tony Antonio and Betty Luz Go Chua (Feb. 20). Space Jam: The Final Frontier featuring Soapdish, Unique, Mayonnaise, I Belong to Zoo, Ang Bandang Shirley, Lola Amour, Munimuni, Over October, Pasadena Freeway, Takipsilim, Why July, The Sandbox Project, BTP, Seizure Salad, Emanon, Bahay ni Reca, After 8, Noise Dive at The Quirks at the Ateneo Senior High School Field, this February 22 at 5:30 p.m. For more tickets, visit at tinyurl.com/spacejamticketreservations. Condolences to the family of Alfredo Jagoring, Jr. who passed away last February 18, he leaves his wife of 65 years, Joaquina, his 10 children Robert, Carmen, Rene, Carmelina, Edna, Joseph, Corazon, Boo and Eric and his 36 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Burial will be at the Manila Memorial Park Sucat on Sunday, February 24 at 4 p.m.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Addressing the housing backlog
On a visit to Singapore about 15 years ago, I had the chance to meet a number of key government officials, including senior people from Singapore’s public housing authority, the Housing Development Board (HDB). Many of the public condominium units in Singapore now were built and are currently managed by HDB.
The way it works is that those seeking public housing can make use or tap their mandatory savings with the Central Provident Fund, a compulsory comprehensive savings plan for working Singaporeans and permanent residents primarily to fund their retirement, healthcare, and housing needs. Both employers and employees contribute to the fund.
I cannot help but recall that trip in light of present developments here, particularly the recent creation of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. This agency will now serve as the primary national government entity responsible for managing housing, human settlement, and urban development as it merges the present Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.
Based on news reports, the new department will have administrative supervision over the National Housing Authority, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., Home Development Mutual Fund, and the Social Housing Finance Corp. It will reportedly be composed of the Office of the Secretary, various bureaus, services and other regional offices.
The department’s creation is timely if not overdue. However, moving forward, crucial to its success will be appropriate, suitable policies; effective implementation; and support from all stakeholders. Otherwise, the department may just end up as another layer of bureaucracy that further slows housing development.
The new housing agency faces a tough challenge. To address the backlog or shortage in the supply of affordable housing from now until 2030, as estimated in a study by the University of Asia and the Pacific, we need roughly 11 million homes put up and sold to buyers in the next 11 years, or an average of one million homes every year.
I cannot help but point to Singapore, because I consider their public housing program a success. At the time of my visit to HDB way back, they were about to build new homes, and were going about refurbishing older developments. In short, other than new development, there was also redevelopment of older properties.
Today, anybody visiting Singapore will be amazed at how they have managed to provide decent public housing for their residents, and how they have also spruced up older HDB buildings to make them look more attuned to the times. Public housing units are well-built, clean, and well-maintained.
Started in 1 February 1960 to address a housing crisis, HDB was given the task of providing sanitary living conditions for Singapore residents, in place of what were deemed to be “unhygienic slums and crowded squatter settlements.” In three years, 21,000 flats or apartments were built. And by 1965, 54,000 flats were already up.
Information on the HDB website indicate that, to date, more than one million flats have been completed in 23 towns and three estates across the island. HDB flats are said to provide homes to over 80% of Singapore’s resident population, with about 90% of these resident households owning their home. And these are not cheap homes, mind you.
Moreover, if your HDB unit is already old, you can opt to remodel it with assistance from HDB. Data available indicate that the biggest proportion of residences in Singapore (about 32% of all homes) are four-room HDB flats with an area of about 90 square meters. And the average cost of home renovation, for an old flat, is about S$55,000 (about P2.1 million). That is just for renovation.
Over here, by government definition, “socialized housing” are units costing not more than P450,000; and, “economic housing” are homes costing P450,000 to P1.7 million. These two brackets cover mostly the lower-income class, and around 85% of the housing backlog. “Low-cost housing” are homes costing P1.7 million to P3 million. Mid-cost is anything above P3 million, while High-End is anything above P6 million.
As far as mid-cost and high-end are concerned, there is no backlog in the Philippines. There are plenty of developers and homes available in these segments. The biggest backlog is in the “economic” segment, or homes in the P450,000 to P1.7 million range, followed by the “socialized” segment, and then the “low-cost” segment.
Given the magnitude of the housing problem, one cannot help but wonder why from 2001 to 2014, as one research noted, HLURB issued Licenses to Sell for only about two million housing units, covering all housing segments, from socialized up to the open market group. This averaged about 130,000 housing units per year. Even if we averaged 250,000 units yearly until 2030, we will still have a backlog.
With the new Department of Human Settlements, one can only hope that things will start looking up for housing. However, the department needs to hear out all sectors, all stakeholders, and learn from best practices in public and private housing development here and abroad.
It needs to take time to study and learn, and to update its assessment of supply and demand, and to draft long-term plans as well as policies to put those plans into action. Proper planning, consistency and continuity in policy and action, and support from all stakeholders will all be crucial to the new department’s success.
Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippines Press Council
matort@yahoo.com
https://www.bworldonline.com/addressing-the-housing-backlog/
The way it works is that those seeking public housing can make use or tap their mandatory savings with the Central Provident Fund, a compulsory comprehensive savings plan for working Singaporeans and permanent residents primarily to fund their retirement, healthcare, and housing needs. Both employers and employees contribute to the fund.
I cannot help but recall that trip in light of present developments here, particularly the recent creation of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development. This agency will now serve as the primary national government entity responsible for managing housing, human settlement, and urban development as it merges the present Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.
Based on news reports, the new department will have administrative supervision over the National Housing Authority, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., Home Development Mutual Fund, and the Social Housing Finance Corp. It will reportedly be composed of the Office of the Secretary, various bureaus, services and other regional offices.
The department’s creation is timely if not overdue. However, moving forward, crucial to its success will be appropriate, suitable policies; effective implementation; and support from all stakeholders. Otherwise, the department may just end up as another layer of bureaucracy that further slows housing development.
The new housing agency faces a tough challenge. To address the backlog or shortage in the supply of affordable housing from now until 2030, as estimated in a study by the University of Asia and the Pacific, we need roughly 11 million homes put up and sold to buyers in the next 11 years, or an average of one million homes every year.
I cannot help but point to Singapore, because I consider their public housing program a success. At the time of my visit to HDB way back, they were about to build new homes, and were going about refurbishing older developments. In short, other than new development, there was also redevelopment of older properties.
Today, anybody visiting Singapore will be amazed at how they have managed to provide decent public housing for their residents, and how they have also spruced up older HDB buildings to make them look more attuned to the times. Public housing units are well-built, clean, and well-maintained.
Started in 1 February 1960 to address a housing crisis, HDB was given the task of providing sanitary living conditions for Singapore residents, in place of what were deemed to be “unhygienic slums and crowded squatter settlements.” In three years, 21,000 flats or apartments were built. And by 1965, 54,000 flats were already up.
Information on the HDB website indicate that, to date, more than one million flats have been completed in 23 towns and three estates across the island. HDB flats are said to provide homes to over 80% of Singapore’s resident population, with about 90% of these resident households owning their home. And these are not cheap homes, mind you.
Moreover, if your HDB unit is already old, you can opt to remodel it with assistance from HDB. Data available indicate that the biggest proportion of residences in Singapore (about 32% of all homes) are four-room HDB flats with an area of about 90 square meters. And the average cost of home renovation, for an old flat, is about S$55,000 (about P2.1 million). That is just for renovation.
Over here, by government definition, “socialized housing” are units costing not more than P450,000; and, “economic housing” are homes costing P450,000 to P1.7 million. These two brackets cover mostly the lower-income class, and around 85% of the housing backlog. “Low-cost housing” are homes costing P1.7 million to P3 million. Mid-cost is anything above P3 million, while High-End is anything above P6 million.
As far as mid-cost and high-end are concerned, there is no backlog in the Philippines. There are plenty of developers and homes available in these segments. The biggest backlog is in the “economic” segment, or homes in the P450,000 to P1.7 million range, followed by the “socialized” segment, and then the “low-cost” segment.
Given the magnitude of the housing problem, one cannot help but wonder why from 2001 to 2014, as one research noted, HLURB issued Licenses to Sell for only about two million housing units, covering all housing segments, from socialized up to the open market group. This averaged about 130,000 housing units per year. Even if we averaged 250,000 units yearly until 2030, we will still have a backlog.
With the new Department of Human Settlements, one can only hope that things will start looking up for housing. However, the department needs to hear out all sectors, all stakeholders, and learn from best practices in public and private housing development here and abroad.
It needs to take time to study and learn, and to update its assessment of supply and demand, and to draft long-term plans as well as policies to put those plans into action. Proper planning, consistency and continuity in policy and action, and support from all stakeholders will all be crucial to the new department’s success.
Marvin Tort is a former managing editor of BusinessWorld, and a former chairman of the Philippines Press Council
matort@yahoo.com
https://www.bworldonline.com/addressing-the-housing-backlog/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)