Former House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Representative Martin Romualdez has filed a measure seeking to establish a rental subsidy program for informal settler families (ISFs) displaced by disasters.
Romualdez said the proposal aims to provide temporary but meaningful support to low-income households while awaiting permanent housing solutions.
“Financial aid to low-income families or displaced individuals helps afford decent housing in the rental market, acting as a flexible safety net when permanent solutions are not immediate. This gives better access to jobs/schools, and often serves as a bridge until permanent housing is available,” Romualdez explained.
Under House Bill 7230, or the Rental Housing Subsidy Program Act, eligible families may receive up to ₱3,500 in rental assistance.
The program will be administered by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), with subsidy amounts determined jointly by DHSUD and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), factoring in regional wage levels and prevailing rental rates.
Tingog Party-list Representative Jude Acidre, a co-author of the bill, outlined qualifications for beneficiaries, including households occupying lots without consent of property owners, those without legal claims, or families living in danger zones such as esteros, railroad tracks, dumpsites, riverbanks, shorelines, and waterways.
Acidre emphasized that applicants must vacate informal settlements and relocate to safer, government-designated sites to qualify.
The subsidy will continue until beneficiaries are transferred to permanent housing projects. If construction delays occur, the implementing agency will shoulder the cost of extended assistance.