The Office of the Vice President Thursday gave assurance of implementing pro-poor and efficient programs in the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) under Vice President and housing czar Jejomar Binay.

Vice Presidential spokesman, lawyer JV Bautista, in a television interview, said the housing sector under Vice President Binay will not be “business as usual” as it would concentrate on ensuring that housing programs will benefit the poor, adding that the public could be assured of efficiency in the housing sector under his administration.

“It’s not going to be business as usual, the program will be pro-poor definitely and then the level of efficiency is going to go up because that’s one of the hallmarks of the Vice President,” Bautista said, adding that “when he handles a certain project, when he handles something, we can be sure that he will deliver.”

“The principle the Vice President would like to take is to deliver the services to improve the housing sector. More than anything else, the programs are going to be pro-poor,” Bautista said.

It will be recalled that Binay was initially offered by President Aquino to head the HUDCC, the Department of Agrarian Reform, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, or the Truth Commission,which he all declined.

Last July 15, however, he finally accepted the post as HUDCC chairman, which was also formerly headed by his predecessor, former Vice President Noli De Castro.

“The Vice President did not want to add up to the problems of the President. He made up his mind that he will function as a vice president exclusively,” Bautista said.

“Tony Meloto of Gawad Kalinga (GK), who is close to him and is very successful in his program in building houses for our less fortunate people, called him up and told him to look at it as a challenge [saying], if you have an agency which deals directly with housing, then all the more you can help the disadvantaged people or the underprivileged people,” he said. “After much thought, he decided… it is a place where he can help without too much controversy.”

Binay earlier said he had accepted the post as HUDCC chairman offered by President Aquino because of its main function in helping the poor.

Binay accepted the post as chairman of the HUDCC on July 15, saying that he is “ready to be of assistance to President Aquino.” He took his oath of office in Malacañ ang last July 20.

As the new housing czar, Binay said that he will promote a policy for zero tolerance on corruption in the housing sector in consonance with President Aquino’s policy to curb corruption.