Tolentino proposes portability housing program for
public school teachers assigned in various areas

Administration Senator Francis "Tol" Tolentino proposed the creation of a portability housing program for public school teachers assigned in various localities.

"Meaning, if you invested a certain amount in a locality as a teacher temporarily based in Molave for instance and later on you decide to transfer to other locality, the amounts you paid during your first five years in the temporary shelter program will be carried over to your permanent housing facility," said Tolentino.

Tolentino, chairman of the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, raised this possibility during Wednesday's hearing on measures pushing for various housing programs for teachers.

Tolentino said his proposal would be beneficial to teachers on a temporary teaching assignment in a particular area where a housing project exists.

"Halimbawa bagong teacher ako, bumili ako ng bahay sa isang komunidad pero hindi naman ako magiging permanente doon. Dapat iyong naihulog ko, iyong amortiation ko dapat ma-carry doon naman sa paglilipatan ko na permanently na lugar," Tolentino explained.

The payment of the temporary housing project will be continued by another new teacher who will be assigned in that area, he added.

Jimmy Sarona, acting Executive Vice President of Home Guaranty Corporation, said Tolentino's proposal is worth looking into as teachers are not permanently assigned to a place.

However, Sarona said the proposal should be studied further because of the existing policies of the Home Development Mutual Fund or PAG-IBIG and other housing agencies on real estate mortgage and contract to sell.

"Kailangang pag-aralan maigi kasi iyong existing real estate policy natin, single loan lang sila," said Sarona.