The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has ordered the implementation of a moratorium on housing loan payments following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the move was in response to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide immediate assistance to affected beneficiaries and expedite government support.
Aliling directed key shelter agencies, including the Pag-IBIG Fund, National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), and National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), to implement a moratorium on housing loan amortization for qualified borrowers affected by the quake.
Aside from the payment relief, DHSUD said the Pag-IBIG Fund and NHA have deployed teams to assist earthquake victims.
“Two Pag-IBIG on Wheels mobile branches were sent to General Santos City and Dipolog City to assist affected members, while NHA teams were dispatched to conduct ground assessments for the processing of emergency shelter assistance,” the agency said in a statement.
Pag-IBIG also advised housing loan borrowers in affected areas that they may avail themselves of insurance benefits under the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan Non-Life Insurance claim attached to their loans.
Eligible members whose homes sustained earthquake damage may file insurance claims to help cover repair and rehabilitation costs, DHSUD said.
Meanwhile, the NHMFC has extended its ongoing housing loan moratorium program by an additional three months, or until October 2026, for qualified borrowers affected by the earthquake.
Aliling also directed DHSUD regional offices to activate their shelter clusters to facilitate the delivery of housing assistance when needed.
He likewise instructed DHSUD Field Office 12 to conduct a rapid ground assessment of affected communities, particularly in areas placed under a state of calamity. — Photo from Glan, Sarangani Vice Mayor James Yap Jr.
