For the fourth time in a row since 2006, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) chaired by Vice President Noli “Kabayan” De Castro, will spearhead the conduct of a three-day Housing Fair from December 27 to 29 at the SM Megamall Megatrade Halls 1 and 2 in Mandaluyong City.

The Fair will be participated in by the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), the Home Guaranty Corporation (HGC), the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC), together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Social Security System (SSS), and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

These agencies will sell their acquired properties with interest rate as low as 6 percent payable up to 30 years.  Housing developers will also showcase their latest projects while suppliers of home interiors and furnishing will feature their products in the fair.

De Castro said the housing fair is part of government’s continuing effort to provide decent and affordable homes to low-income workers.

“We understand their aspiration to have decent homes they can call their own. This is one way of helping them realize that dream,” De Castro stressed.

Close to 75,000 properties all over the country will be offered for sale to government and private employees and overseas Filipino workers.

The Pag-IBIG Fund comprises the bulk of the total with 31,476 properties, followed by the BSP - 21,673; the GSIS - 20,206; the NHMFC - 711, the SSS - 357 and the HGC - 356.

Under the program,  Pag-IBIG has disposed acquired properties valued at P5.6 billion.

According to De Castro, the Fair benefits both homebuyers through the availability of affordable homes, and the government financial institutions through the sale of their idle assets. (end)