THE powerful Commission on Appointments (CA) on Thursday confirmed the ad interim appointment of Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario as the first ever head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
Del Rosario expressed his gratitude to all CA members, particularly Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement Chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino, for his confirmation after four CA meetings.
He also thanked President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for trusting him to handle the housing portfolio that went on full operation only last January.
“I would like to thank President Rodrigo Duterte for his trust and confidence on me. I would also like to express my gratitude to the members of the CA. Rest assured that I will exert my best effort in fulfilling my tasks as head of the housing department,” Del Rosario said.
“My confirmation will serve as a challenge for me to lead government efforts in bridging the country’s housing need which is pegged to reach 6.5 million units by 2022,” he added.
Del Rosario was appointed as DHSUD’s chief last January after serving as chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). He immediately earned the trust and support of major developers’ groups for his transparent and pro-active leadership.
As housing czar, Del Rosario advocated close collaboration with partner-developers to ensure synchronized public and private efforts in the housing sector.
The DHSUD is currently crafting a 20-year national housing roadmap to institutionalize pro-active measures.
Del Rosario is also the concurrent chairman of the Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), overseeing the massive rehabilitation efforts by 56 government implementing agencies in war-torn Marawi City. In the course of CA deliberations, he vowed that the Islamic City will rise again before the term of President Duterte ends.
Meanwhile, Del Rosario rallied all DHSUD personnel to join hands in pursuing DHSUD’s mandate of providing sustainable, resilient and more affordable housing communities to Filipinos, especially the underprivileged.
“Let’s work together in further enhancing the housing sector, as well as in bringing significant change to the country’s urban development,” Del Rosario added.
