The government will exceed its annual target of 1 million housing units with the provision of at least 1.2 million housing units under the flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing Program (4PH), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday.
The President is confident this can be achieved given the track record of Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar.
“So kung maka-start tayo… What are we now? Ten months? Ten months. Nag-1.2 million na si Secretary Jerry. Tingnan natin. Basta’t ipagpatuloy,” President Marcos said in a media interview in San Jose del Monte City, following his attendance to various events in Bulacan province.
“Malaking kumpiyansa ko kasi noong nasa private sector siya nagagawa niya talaga eh. Alam niyang gawin eh. So I think we just wait for the actual structures to start coming up. ‘Yan, puntahan din natin ‘yan pagka nangyari na,” the chief executive pointed out.
One of the main indicators of the increasing number of shelter availment is the spike in the number of new Pag-IBIG Fund members and increased interest from the people to buy new homes, the President said.
All of these things are indicative, he said, of the continued take-up of new shelters and that there is a market for real estate in the country.
“Tama nga na tinugunan natin itong problemang housing na ito,” he said.
Prior to speaking with reporters, President Marcos led the groundbreaking of six housing projects in Bulacan, which could generate up to 30,000 shelter units.
The housing projects include the San Rafael Heights Development Project in Barangay Caingin in San Rafael, the Rising City Residential Project in Barangay Gaya-Gaya, San Jose del Monte City, and the Mom’s Ville Homeowners Association Incorporated Project in Barangay Penabatan, Pulilan.
The chief executive also led the simultaneous groundbreaking ceremony in Malolos and the towns of Pandi and Guiguinto.
The historic launching was another testament to the continuing rollout of the administration’s flagship 4PH Program aimed at building one million housing units annually until 2028 to address the country’s housing backlog pegged at more than 6.5 million units.
A total of 12,563 housing units will be constructed during the initial phase of the six projects. Based on the submitted master development plan, these projects could generate around 30,000 shelters when expanded into additional phases.
The 4PH Program is part of the DHSUD’s thrust to fulfill its mandate to develop and adopt a national strategy to address the proper and timely provision of adequate and affordable shelter to Filipino families.
Under the new housing program, the DHSUD is mandated to ensure the alignment of the policies, programs and projects of its attached agencies to facilitate the achievement of the program’s objective.
So far, more than 130 memoranda of understanding have been signed by DHSUD with various local government units in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao since the launching of 4PH last September. #
