VP office spox challenges allegations about Robredo's below-par work ethic


We would like to correct several unsubstantiated claims made by Ms. Lorraine T. Badoy on Facebook.

According to her post, a supposed "HUDCC employee" informed her that Vice President Leni Robredo did not meet with Key Shelter Agencies until October 2016.

This is FALSE.

VP Leni had briefings with Key Shelter Agencies (KSAs) beginning with HLURB on August 26, 2016. This was followed by briefings with NHA on August 31, 2016, SHFC and HDMF on September 16, 2016, HGC on September 28, 2016, then NHMFC on October 5, 2016.

VP Leni also attended the Senate Committee hearing on the housing sector's budget together with all the heads of the KSAs on September 7, 2016 as well as the plenary budget deliberations for HUDCC and the KSAs at the House of Representatives on September 30, 2016. In addition, she met with all KSAs on September 19, 2016, to discuss the agencies' planned response for the victims of Typhoon Ferdie in Batanes.

Ms. Badoy also claims that VP Leni did not hold board meetings earlier than October since she did not want to deal with holdover officials.

This is also FALSE.

HUDCC and the KSAs had to conduct the necessary due diligence first to ensure that valid meetings could be held due to the issuance of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 4 in August 2016 directing all presidential appointees to submit their courtesy resignations.

Because of MC No. 4, s. 2016, corporate secretaries and holdover board members were wary to hold a board meeting out of concern that there was no quorum to hold a valid board meeting.

Moreover, board meetings are for setting long-term policy directions and this is impractical to do with outgoing board members who naturally prefer to let the next board decide on such matters.

Nonetheless, we pushed forward with setting board meetings as soon as possible in the interest of public service. In August 2016, HUDCC already requested all KSAs to set board meetings at the soonest possible time. The schedules however were based on the readiness of each KSA with the agenda and the materials, and this required several committee meetings first between HUDCC and each KSA  leading up to the first meeting for each KSA in October. HUDCC requested that the board meeting for NHA be held earlier but NHA requested to defer the schedule since the other ex officio board members had not yet designated their alternates.

The statement that board meetings were held with only 3 KSAs is also FALSE.

Board meetings were also held with each KSA on the following dates:
- HLURB, Oct. 12, 2016
- HDMF, Oct. 25, 2016
- SHFC, Oct. 26, 2016
- NHMFC, Nov. 9, 2016
- NHA, Nov. 16, 2016
- SHFC, Nov. 26, 2016

Prior to VP Leni's resignation, board meetings were also set for SHFC, HDMF and NHMFC, NHA and HGC in December. Monthly board meetings were also lined up for all KSAs beginning 2017.

It should also be noted that much of the work also takes place between board meetings. During the 5 months as HUDCC Chair, the Vice President also conducted 22 site visits where she consulted resettled families on the problems they experienced as well as what they thought could be done to improve the various programs in line with her thrust to mainstream the community-driven approach.

There were also many other engagements with agencies such as LWUA, COA, BIR and DPWH aimed at streamlining chokepoints and addressing implementation gaps as the  challenges of urbanization require substantial coordination with other agencies beyond the KSAs.

We believe the performance of the HUDCC Chairperson should be based on the outcomes achieved in providing affordable homes for the underprivileged and the homeless, and in the reforms done to improve service delivery.

This has been our standard during our brief time in HUDCC and we hope it will continue to be the standard as the agency moves forward under the new leadership of Cabinet Secretary Jun Evasco.

We hope this clarifies the issue and dispels any speculation on the matter. We would also want to invite Ms. Badoy to drop by our office so we can explain to her in detail the points she raised in her post.


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Georgina Hernandez as posted on Facebook.


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