What is the Lina Law?

Answer 1

In the Philippines, the Lina Law, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act of 1992 (UDHA), provides that certain lands owned by the government may be disposed of or utilized for socialized housing purposes. It was signed into law to address the housing shortage of the country.

It was considered a landmark legislation and was filed by Senator Jose "Joey" D. Lina, Jr. who was the youngest member of the Philippines Senate from 1987 to 1992. The Act lays down the groundwork for a comprehensive and continuing urban development and housing program. It addresses the right to housing of the homeless and underprivileged Filipino people. This law seeks to provide social housing to the marginalized sector by addressing their access to land and housing, relocation, demolitions, and promoting private sector participation in housing.

The law also mandates local government units to provide shelter to qualified beneficiaries and to undertake measures to curtail the activities of professional squatters and squatting syndicates. In addition, the Act also mandates the formulation of a National Urban Development and Housing Framework to guide policymakers in the determination of areas for urbanization and development of concomitant programs to address the urbanization problems.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) developed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the UDHA to ensure the observance of proper and humane relocation and resettlement procedures mandated by the UDHA of 1992.