After zeroing in on the backlog in its regulatory functions, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is now strengthening efforts to better protect homebuyers as part of its mandate to safeguard all housing stakeholders.
Housing czar Jose Ramon Aliling directed Senior Undersecretary Sharon Faith Paquiz, head of the agency’s Zero Backlog Program, to implement measures to immediately address issues and concerns raised by homebuyers before DHSUD offices.
“Our homebuyers deserve peace of mind in acquiring real-estate properties. It is our duty, the DHSUD’s mandate, to ensure their protection,” Aliling said.
Since assuming office in May, Aliling has pursued an eight-point agenda aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas brand of efficient governance. Under the Zero Backlog Program, the agency has cut down 3,100 pending cases, dating back to 2020, to just 82 as of Aug. 22, which it expects to resolve in the coming days.
Aliling also transformed the Expanded 4PH program into a more people-centric initiative, introducing subdivision housing, rental schemes, and community mortgages. At least 42 private developers have committed over 250,000 housing units under the program. To protect buyers, DHSUD launched “DREAM Tips,” which guide the public on checking licenses, contracts, and project legitimacy before purchasing properties.
