The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is delighted over the talks of an impending executive order to be signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., touted as a huge boost to the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program as it would reserve government idle lands for housing—a key element toward the program’s success.
The President is set to sign an executive order (EO) to mandate various government agencies, particularly the DHSUD, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, to conduct inventory and identify state-owned idle lands, approximated at 16,000 hectares, that are suitable for socialized housing and rural development projects.
“On behalf of DHSUD, I am delighted with President Marcos’ imminent signing of an executive order that will bring Filipinos closer to their dream of becoming homeowners,” Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said.
“Such order will surely boost our efforts to build houses and establish safe and resilient communities across the country, ” he added.
The presidential order would effectively reinforce Section 24 of Republic Act 11201 stating that lands left idle for more than 10 years and are not held by government-owned an0d -controlled corporations would be prioritized for housing and urban development purposes.
RA 11201 is the law which created the DHSUD is 2019.
“This EO will surely catapult the President’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program to success as land is an important component of this program. In turn, it will be instrumental in uplifting the Filipino family’s morale and quality of life,” Acuzar cited.
DHSUD has identified housing sites in strategic locations around the country which are deemed viable for human settlements, including government properties that have the potential for land development and housing construction.
Assistant Secretary Avelino Tolentino III, DHSUD spokesperson, said the use of government lands would be beneficial to the housing program as it may result in lessening the cost of the housing units.
Acuzar earlier said the program shall prioritize in-city housing sites to ensure the availability of livelihoods for the dwellers, citing DHSUD is pushing to keep informal settler families already living and working in cities to remain in close proximity to their livelihood.
He said previous public housing projects had been unsuccessful as families refused to relocate away from the cities.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Press Secretary reported that President Marcos is set to meet with financial institutions that could provide funding assistance to the DHSUD.