Section 5Republic Act No. 6758, otherwise known as the Salary Standardization Law, and from other laws, rules and regulations on salaries and compensations; and to establish a Provident Fund and determine the , Sec./Art. 5

Corporation Powers and Functions. The Corporation, in addition to the regular powers and functions provided under Section 36 of the Corporation Code, shall have the following powers and functions, subject to the limitations hereinafter provided:

(a) To promote homebuilding and land ownership, giving primary preference to the homeless and underprivileged sectors of the society;

(b) To guaranty the payment in favor of any natural or juridical person, of any and all forms of mortgages, loans and other forms of credit facilities and receivables arising from financial contracts exclusively for residential purposes and the necessary support facilities thereto;

(c) To assist private developers to undertake socialized, low and medium cost mass housing projects by encouraging private funds to finance such housing projects through a viable system of long-term mortgages, guaranties and other incentives;

(d) To pursue the development and sustainability of a secondary mortgage market for housing as the primarily strategy to encourage private sector participation in housing finance. The Corporation shall undertake such programs and measures using the guaranty cover as enhancement to encourage trading by the public in a secondary market for housing mortgages, bonds, debentures, notes and securities;

(e) To underwrite, purchase, own, sell, mortgage or otherwise dispose of stocks, bonds, debentures, securities and other evidence of indebtedness issued in correction with the powers enumerated in this Act: Provided, That, it shall not engage in direct mortgage lending activities;

(f) To borrow money and/or to issue bonds, debentures, securities, collaterals, notes and other obligations in local currencies with the approval of the President of the Philippines after consultation with the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and in foreign currencies, here or abroad, with the approval of the President of the Philippines with the Monetary Board of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Secretary of Finance, but in no case to exceed at any one time the aggregate amount of the principal obligations of all mortgages and account guaranteed under this Act.

This bonds and other obligations shall be issued under such terms and conditions as provided in this act and the rules and regulations prescribed by the Corporation, and in such manner as maybe stipulated therein and shall bear such rate of interest as may be fixed by the Corporation. Such obligation shall be secured by the assets of the Corporation including the stocks, bonds, debentures and other securities underwritten, purchased or held by it under the provisions of this Act. Such obligations may be issued and offered for sale at such price as the Corporation may determine, and shall be exempt from taxation as hereinafter provided as to principal and interest, except state, inheritance and gift taxes.

Bonds issued by the Corporation shall be registered at the request of the holder thereof under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Corporation;

(g) To promote housing by the aided self help method whereby families with some outside aid build their won houses with their own labor; to provide technical guidance to such families; to guaranty loans to such families on first liens on house and land with such other security and conditions as the Corporation shall determine, providing at least for ultimate recovery of principals; and to do all other activities as are relevant and significant in such a program of aided self-help for housing;

(h) To adopt, alter, and use a corporate seal; to enter contracts; and to sue and be sued in any court of competent jurisdiction;

(i) To acquire, purchase, own, hold, manage, administer, operate, develop, lease pledge, mortgage, exchange, sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of, in any manner permitted by law, real and personal property with every kind and description, monies and funds, or any interest therein as may be necessary to carry out the purposes and objectives of the Corporation; and

(j) To do any and all acts and things and to exercise all powers which may be necessary or convenient to the accomplishment or furtherance of its purposes and objectives, or which a natural person can do and exercise and which may now be or hereafter be authorized by law.