The government has activated a coordinated housing relief initiative to assist families affected by tropical storm “Crising” and the continuous rains brought about by the southwest monsoon.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), along with its attached agencies, has implemented a one-month moratorium on housing loan payments and activated a calamity loan program to ease the burden on displaced and affected households.

The Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), National Housing Authority (NHA), and National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) have rolled out a one-month moratorium on monthly payments for their beneficiaries residing in areas struck by the typhoon.

The moratorium will allow the families to redirect their limited resources toward more urgent recovery needs.

At the same time, the Pag-IBIG Fund has opened its Calamity Loan Program across all its branches nationwide.

The program enables qualified members in affected areas to borrow up to 90 percent of their Pag-IBIG savings, which include their monthly savings, employer counterpart contributions, and earned dividends.

The agency is also accepting insurance claims from borrowers with active Pag-IBIG housing loans whose properties sustained storm damage.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the relief efforts were launched as part of the national government’s urgent response to the disaster, emphasizing that the housing sector must act quickly to help typhoon victims regain a sense of stability.

“As directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., we are ensuring that affected families receive urgent support to help them recover,” Aliling said.

“The moratorium will help ease their worries, while the calamity loan will, in some way, provide relief to our fellow Filipinos who were affected by the calamity,” he added.

In addition to financial relief, the DHSUD is working closely with local government units on the implementation of its Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP) which provides emergency housing support to families whose homes were either partially or totally damaged.

LGUs were tasked with identifying affected areas and endorsing qualified beneficiaries to ensure the efficient and targeted distribution of aid.

“The DHSUD and our key shelter agencies are closely working with LGUs to guarantee proper coordination and fast implementation on the ground. This is a united effort to provide relief and help families get back on their feet,” Aliling said.

According to the DHSUD, attached shelter agencies are currently notifying affected borrowers and streamlining application procedures to ensure the smooth rollout of the moratorium and loan program.

The agency is also monitoring housing-related damage across several regions and is coordinating with both national and international partners to pre-position emergency shelter materials such as tarpaulins and tents.

Storm “Crising,” which swept across parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, triggered widespread flooding and wind damage that displaced hundreds of families. Government relief operations remain ongoing as rains continue to affect parts of the country due to the southwest monsoon or habagat.