MANILA, Philippines – Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto ordered the city’s housing unit to stop imposing additional penalties on delinquent payments, pointing out that only a flat rate should be imposed under the contracts with beneficiaries.

These local housing projects include the Marcos-era Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services (BLISS) apartments.

“Maraming nababaon sa utang dahil dito. Ilan taon nang ginagawa pero wala pa lang basehan na batas o ordinansa (Many get deep into debt because of this. It has been practiced for years without any basis in law or ordinance),” Sotto said on Facebook on Tuesday, October 8, his 100th day in office.

From now on, those with arrears will only pay a flat rate of 3% for every month they missed a payment. There used to be an interest on late payments for Pasig City’s socialized housing.

“Dapat para sa mahihirap ang socialized housing. Tulungan natin sila at ‘wag pahirapan (Socialized housing is for the poor. Let’s help them and not give them a hard time),” Sotto said.

Sotto is set to deliver his first State of the City Address at 4 pm on Tuesday. (READ: Vico Sotto shuts down meat processing plant) – Rappler.com