ARE the lowest-ranked uniformed personnel in the police, military, and related services still eligible as beneficiaries of government-subsidized shelters even after their salaries doubled since 2011 when the program was launched?
The Commission on Audit raised this question in a 208-page Performance Audit on the National Housing Authority released November 22, 2023.
A copy of the report was submitted to NHA General Manager Joeben Tai last October 26.
The late former President Benigno S. Aquino III issued Administrative Order No. 9 on April 11, 2011 to provide affordable house and lot packages for the lowest ranked personnel of the Armed Forces, PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Corrections, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
At the time, the salary of the lowest ranked personnel was only P13,492; the second lowest rank at P15,359; and the third lowest rank at P16,986.
As of 2018, the COA noted that the lowest rank is already paid P29,668 (up 120 percent or an increase of P16,176); the second lowest at P30,867 (up 101 percent or P15,508); and the third lowest rank at P32,114 (up 89 percent or P15,128).
Section 1 of AO No. 9 states that the program intends to address the housing needs of low-salaried uniformed personnel.
But with the doubling of the pay of the lowest ranked servicemen, they can no longer be considered “low-salaried.”
“The comparison of uniformed personnel salaries in CY 2011 increased in CY 2018, prompting us to query whether they are still categorized as low-salaried members,” government auditors said.
The COA recommended that the NHA management revisit the guidelines of AO No. 9 to make it consistent with the agency’s mandate of assisting those who are most needy to secure their own homes.
“Implementing AFP/PNP Housing/ GEHP (Government Employees Housing Program) does not fully contribute to attaining NHA’s mission and vision, which aims to provide housing needs for the homeless, marginalized, and low-income families,” the audit team said.
The Commission likewise noted that the system has been abused as the NHA has been lax in enforcing the guidelines.
It noted that in a 2016 audit of subsidized housing units to the AFP/PNP, 144 or 63 percent of the 230 awarded finished housing units went to high-ranking officers.
An expanded inquiry in 2017 and 2018 revealed the problem was much bigger — 3,965 housing units that were supposed to go to Police Officers 1 to 3; private to staff/technical sergeant; and fire/jail officer 1 to 3 instead went to officers with higher ranks who were not eligible for the program.
Auditors said the total represented 16.63 percent of all completed housing units in 27 AFP/PNP housing projects.
