The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has deployed top officials to regional offices after an internal audit found that transaction bottlenecks were occurring at the regional level rather than at the agency’s central office.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling directed key housing officials to oversee the agency’s 17 regional offices beginning this week to address delays and implement reforms aimed at improving public service delivery.

The officials were also tasked to conduct performance assessments and establish accountability mechanisms across the regional offices.

“Malinaw po ang direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. — pabilisin at mas ayusin ang serbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Yan po mismo ang ating ginagawa upang mas mapabilis at maayos ang pagsusulong natin ng mga programang pabahay,” Aliling said.

According to the department, stakeholders had previously claimed that the backlog stemmed from the central office. However, data and an internal audit showed that most pending regulatory applications, including licenses, certificates, and other transactions, were stalled at the regional level.

Aliling said the agency’s undersecretaries were assigned to specific regional offices to address pending applications and institute reforms to prevent future bottlenecks.

At the central office, pending transactions are reportedly monitored in real time and processed within the allowable review period under existing guidelines.

“Ibig sabihin, doable po ang mas mabilis na pag-proseso at aksyon sa mga transaksyon inihaharap sa atin. Kaya, ganyan din dapat ang gawin ng ating mga Regional Offices,” he said.

The DHSUD chief also expressed optimism that the department’s ongoing digitalization program would help sustain its streamlining and zero backlog initiatives.