Question & AnswerQ&A (EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 48)
The main purpose of Executive Order No. 48 is to declare the non-core properties of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) as socialized housing sites and provide for the disposition of these lands to bona fide occupants, mainly informal settler families.
Non-core properties of the PNR are those lands located outside the boundaries of the railroad tracks and not utilized for railroad purposes.
The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) is responsible for receiving the comprehensive inventory of PNR's non-core properties for evaluation.
Article IV, Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7279, known as the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), mandates that government-owned lands unused for their intended purpose for at least 10 years should be transferred to the National Housing Authority for socialized housing.
The NHA is tasked with the disposition of the non-core PNR properties as socialized housing sites to bona fide occupants, subject to the guidelines prepared in coordination with HUDCC and PNR.
The PNR must coordinate with the DBM to determine priorities for allocating and utilizing the sales proceeds, including allocating portions to pay outstanding obligations to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
The separability clause states that if any provision is declared invalid, the other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
The President directed them to identify areas that may be proclaimed for socialized housing purposes.
There is urgency to provide land ownership and shelter security to thousands of informal settlers, and to fast track the rehabilitation plan of PNR while managing informal settler proliferation on these lands.
HUDCC may call upon other government agencies, bureaus, instrumentalities, and private sector organizations for support and assistance.