Public school teachers and education personnel are set to benefit from streamlined processing and special privileges as the Department of Education (DepEd) secures priority access in the upcoming nationwide housing fairs of the Home Development Mutual Fund, commonly known as the Pag-IBIG Fund.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara initiated the coordination with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and Pag-IBIG Fund to support DepEd personnel facing challenges in securing homes due to rising property costs, limited financing access and lack of information on available housing programs.
“Sa pamamagitan ng pakikipagtulungan natin sa Pag-IBIG, sinisiguro natin na ang ating mga guro ay prayoridad sa programa sa pabahay ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos (Through our coordination with Pag-IBIG, we assure that our teachers are prioritized in the housing programs of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.),” Angara said in a news release Friday.
“Layunin nating pagaanin ang proseso para magkaroon sila ng sariling tahanan na abot-kaya at disente (Our goal is to ease the process so they can have their own homes that are affordable and decent).”
Through the Pag-IBIG housing fairs, DepEd personnel can explore affordable housing units, receive on-site counseling on financing terms and requirements, and initiate loan applications while availing exclusive offers for government employees.
The initial legs of the housing fairs are scheduled on April 27-28 at the Jose Rizal Coliseum in Calamba City, Laguna; and April 30 to May 1 at the IEC Convention Center in Cebu City.
To facilitate a smoother experience, registered employees will be issued a Pag-IBIG Loan Value Card, which expedites evaluation at developer booths and allows for a preliminary loan assessment.
Shuttle services to housing fair sites will also be provided by Pag-iBIG, depending on the number of pre-registered participants.
Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Marilene Acosta lauded the service of public school teachers in the country and highlighted the partnership’s goal to prioritize the sector.
She said the agency will make sure to provide them with specialized lanes and dedicated counselling to raise their awareness on housing opportunities.
“Ang ating housing fairs ay isa sa mga konkretong paraan upang maisakatuparan ang direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos na mas ilapit sa mas maraming Pilipino ang dekalidad at abot-kayang pabahay, partikular sa sektor ng edukasyon (Our housing fairs is one of the concrete steps to realize the directives of President Marcos to bring quality and affordable housing closer to more Filipinos, especially the education sector),” Acosta said.
“Binibigyan natin ang ating mga guro ng priority access at gabay mula sa ating mga Lingkod ng Pag-IBIG sa mga gaganaping housing fairs, upang mas madali nilang mahanap ang tahanang disente, abot-kaya, at angkop sa pangangailangan ng kanilang pamilya (We are giving our teachers priority access and guidance from our Pag-IBIG Service in our housing fairs so that they can easily find homes that are decent, affordable and suited to the needs of their families).”
In partnership with DHSUD, Pag-IBIG is showcasing over 20,000 housing units during these events.
Additional housing fairs are scheduled for Mindanao and Metro Manila to ensure broad accessibility.
To address concerns over affordability, Pag-IBIG has updated its product list to offer more affordable packages, including discounts of up to 45 percent on acquired assets, specialized group sales, and properties matching teachers’ salary brackets. (PNA)
