DHSUD organizes homeowners summit 

In a bid to further maximize efforts toward nation-building, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) opened its first-ever Homeowners Association (HOA) Summit on Tuesday.

The three-day summit, organized by the Department’s Homeowners Association and Community Development Bureau (HOACDB) headed by OIC-Director Atty. Lorina Rigor, intends to create a national confederation for HOAs, share best practices in organizing a regional confederation and bolster capacity-building among HOA personnel.

In his keynote message, Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario highlighted the instrumental role of homeowners’ associations in promoting a community-driven environment geared toward nation-building.

According to the housing czar, it is DHSUD’s responsibility to safeguard communities by empowering further HOAs nationwide, as well as implement measures supporting constructive and efficient organizations.

“Last year, DHSUD signed Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2 with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, spelling out the guidelines on the formation of HOA federations and confederations. This JMC enhances the government’s drive to promote and respect people’s right to form organizations and initiate community-based groups,” Secretary Del Rosario stressed.

“I personally believe that HOAs, as empowered by the Magna Carta for Homeowners and HOAs, are essential in nation-building, especially with the proper mindset of working for the greater good of all its members and the community as a whole,” he noted.

The DHSUD chief likewise called on HOAs to step up coordination with the Department in keeping the housing sector vibrant.

Representatives from various DHSUD Regional Offices’ HOA Community Development Divisions, local government units and HOAs across the country are taking part in the activity, which also features HOA-related workshops.

In her opening remarks earlier in the day, Assistant Secretary Melissa Aradanas cited the crucial role of HOAs in empowering the housing and urban development sector, noting that the summit will also serve as a platform for the Department in boosting its policy-making capabilities.

“We are all here today because we recognize the need to enhance the capacity of our workforce while we create and administer a unified regulatory structure that governs all actions related to the planning, development, production, marketing and management of housing and urban development projects,” ASec. Aradanas stressed.

“Throughout this summit, I ask you to stay engaged, be proactive and help us shape the future of our nation by developing resilient communities and empowering sustainable HOAs,” she noted.

Other senior DHSUD officials, as well as directors of the regional offices, were likewise in attendance.

Another highlight of the three-day summit’s curtain-raiser was the launch of the 2021 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA 9904 booklet led by DHSUD officials.

In introducing the IRR of RA9904, Undersecretary Marylin Pintor said the revised IRR signifies DHSUD’s unwavering commitment to public service as the national government entity responsible for the registration, regulation and supervision of HOAs, particularly amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“The IRR includes new provisions which are timely and responsive to the needs of the homeowners as well as the homeowners’ associations. All these revisions are affirmations that HOAs play a vital role in nation-building. Needless to state that the revised IRR aims to capacitate homeowners’ associations to fulfill their roles in serving the needs and interest of their communities in complementing the efforts of local government units,” Usec. Pintor said.

“We celebrate this milestone by launching the booklet of the revised IRR.  This is not only the success of the Department but a collective gain because this revised IRR is proudly a product of the combined efforts of DHSUD and its stakeholders,” she added.

The summit concludes on Thursday.