COTABATO CITY — Member of Parliament Abdulbasit R. Benito called on the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development (MHSD) to adopt climate-resilient housing designs and provide updated data on the region's housing backlog during a Joint Oversight Committee Meeting held on July 14 at the Pangalian M. Balindong (PMB) Conference Hall, Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City.
The joint meeting, convened by the Committee on Budget, Finance and Management (CBFM) and the Committee on Human Settlements and Development (CHSD), focused on the Ministry's implementation of housing programs, including the Kapyanan Projects.
During the deliberations, Benito raised concerns over the design of some housing units, saying they appear to have been constructed without sufficient consideration of the environmental conditions of their locations.
"It seems that the housing designs were not carefully studied before construction. How can bungalow-type houses be built in the middle of marshy areas?" Benito said, noting that such designs may be vulnerable to flooding and other climate-related hazards.
He urged the committee Secretariat to officially record his manifestation so that it may serve as a policy reference and guide in the planning, design, and implementation of future housing projects in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Benito emphasized that government housing programs should incorporate disaster-resilient standards capable of withstanding floods, earthquakes, and other climate-related hazards to ensure the safety of beneficiaries and protect public investments.
As part of the Committee's oversight function, Benito also requested the MHSD to submit comprehensive data on the region's housing backlog covering the period from 2019 until the end of the Bangsamoro Transition Period. He said the information would enable Parliament to better assess the extent of housing needs in the region and evaluate the Ministry's implementation of its housing programs.
The Joint Oversight Committee continues to review the Ministry's programs and accomplishments as part of the Bangsamoro Parliament's commitment to promoting transparent, accountable, and responsive governance through effective legislative oversight.