The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) ended 2025 by implementing a series of regulatory reforms and expanding the government flagship housing program to include rental and modular options.
The agency said in a statement it moved to address a backlog of more than 3,800 actionable issues involving regulatory functions following the introduction of an 8-point agenda in May 2025.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said his office maintains a policy of zero tolerance for corruption as the department transitions toward a fully digitalized processing system by 2028.
Under the leadership of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the department recalibrated its primary initiative into the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program. The revised framework now includes horizontal developments, rental housing and the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP) alongside the original vertical housing model.
As part of these efforts, DHSUD and DEPDev issued Joint Memorandum Circular 2025-001 on Dec. 1 to adjust the price ceiling for socialized housing projects.
The Department of Finance and Bureau of Internal Revenue also issued Revenue Memorandum Order No. 048-2025 to create a uniform tax exemption process for socialized housing developments.
The Social Housing Finance Corp. revived 34 ECMP project sites nationwide, which are expected to benefit about 35,000 individuals through collective land acquisition. The department also distributed certificates of entitlement and lot awards to about 5,000 families living on lands covered by long-standing presidential proclamations.
The department teamed up with the University of the Philippines to develop Pook Marilag Residences in UP Diliman as a pilot rental project for faculty and staff.
Similar discussions are underway with the University of the Philippines Los Baños and Victorias City in Negros Occidental. Officials expect to launch at least 10 more rental housing projects during the first quarter of 2026.
The agency also focused on disaster response by establishing Bayanihan Villages in earthquake-hit areas of Cebu and Davao Oriental.
The department deployed modular shelter units to serve as temporary housing for families displaced by calamities and fires, with 20 Bayanihan Villages either completed or under construction by the end of 2025.
To encourage private sector participation, the DHSUD and Pag-IBIG Fund organized the first government-led National Housing Expo. Secretary Aliling said the agency will focus on sustaining the momentum of streamlined licensing and proactive urban planning throughout 2026.
“Even 1 percent of corruption should not be tolerated,” Aliling said, adding that the department aims to provide faster and more transparent service as it enters the new year.
