President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered all government agencies to identify national and local government lands suitable for the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH), which he declared as his administration’s flagship housing program.
“The inventory of lands shall include government-owned idle lands or lands that have not been used for the purposes for which they have been originally reserved or set aside for at least 10 years and on which no improvements have been made by the owner as certified by the concerned LGU, pursuant to Section 8, Paragraph 2 of Republic Act No. 7279 (or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992), as amended, and Sections 5.II (d) and 24 of RA No. 11201 (the law that created the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development),” the President said in Executive Order No. 34.
Earlier this month, Mr. Marcos reaffirmed his commitment to build one million houses yearly.
One of the main indicators of the increasing number of shelter availability 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, Mr. Marcos said, of the continued take-up of new shelters and that there is a market for real estate in the country.
Under EO No. 34, the DHSUD will be the lead implementing agency of the 4PH.
It was likewise tasked to recommend to the President, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the issuance of proclamations declaring public lands as alienable and disposable for housing and human settlement purposes.
National government departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, including GOCCs, as well as LGUs, must conduct an inventory of the lands they own and administer.
The Land Registration Authority was directed to assist these agencies in the preparation of their respective inventories by providing a list of titles registered in the names of said agencies.
A complete list shall be submitted to the DHSUD within 60 days from the issuance of the President’s order.
“Subject to limitations under applicable laws, rules, and regulations, the DHSUD shall acquire ownership and/or administration of the identified lands of concerned agencies, for housing and human settlement purposes, and shall carry out the immediate development of the aforementioned lands,” the EO added.
Based on the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, the country’s housing need estimates have accumulated to 6.8 million from 2017 to 2022.