Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 9207)
The short title of Republic Act No. 9207 is the "National Government Center (NGC) Housing and Land Utilization Act of 2003."
The declared policy of the State is to secure the land tenure of the urban poor by utilizing lands located in the National Government Center (NGC) in Quezon City for housing, socioeconomic, civic, educational, religious, and other purposes.
Under RA 9207, 184 hectares on the west side and 238 hectares on the east side of Commonwealth Avenue in the National Government Center site are excluded from Proclamation No. 1826 and declared open for disposition to bona fide residents therein.
The determination of bona fide residents on the west side is based on the census survey conducted in 1994, while the determination on the east side is based on the census survey conducted in 2000.
Only institutions already operating with existing facilities or structures, or those occupying the land within the specified areas, are eligible to avail of the land disposition program under these purposes.
The existing site allocation is used as the basis for determining specific areas disposed of, and if there is no specific lot allocation, the land area allocated is based on the area actually used by the institution at the time of the Act's effectivity.
The National Government Center Administration Committee is created to administer, formulate guidelines and policies, and implement the land disposition of the areas covered by the Act.
The Committee is chaired by the Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council and includes the Chairperson of the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, the Mayor of Quezon City, the General Manager of the National Housing Authority, the Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and two representatives from duly recognized people's organizations representing the NGC East and West sides.
All obligations and vested rights arising from these contracts remain valid, legal, and unassailable as long as they are consistent with the provisions of RA 9207.
The National Housing Authority assumes the trusteeship function of the Home Guaranty Corporation over the National Government Center Housing Project (West side), except in cases where the Home Guaranty Corporation has proprietary interest, such as the Commonwealth Enterprise Zone.
No, all lands already sold or disposed of by the government pursuant to existing housing and those that will be disposed or sold after the effectivity of RA 9207 are exempted from payment of Capital Gains Tax.
The Congressional Oversight Committee is composed of three Senators and three Representatives appointed by the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, and is co-chaired by the chairpersons of the Senate and House committees on natural resources.
The Committee must promulgate the implementing rules and regulations within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of RA 9207.
The funding necessary for the implementation of the Act is included in the annual appropriations of each agency concerned.
They are repealed or modified accordingly to conform to the provisions of RA 9207.
If any provision of RA 9207 is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected shall continue in full force and effect.
RA 9207 took effect upon its approval, which was on May 17, 2003.