The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) recently began delivering the first housing units under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH) with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ceremonially awarding them to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar described the event held last week as one of the highlights of the Pamaskong Handog para sa OFWs, a collaboration between DHSUD, the Department of Migrant Workers, the Presidential Communications Office, and other government agencies.
“The turnover and delivery of the 4PH units will continue. We have started building projects under the program,” Acuzar said. “In the coming months, there will be more 4PH units to be awarded,” he added.
Currently, 56 4PH projects are under construction nationwide with some condominium buildings already completed. The 4PH program, launched in September 2022, focuses on vertical or multi-story housing developments to maximize land use, addressing the country’s housing backlog.
“The ongoing 4PH projects are solid proof of our concept that we can tap private funds in government housing,” according to the DHSUD chief. “We only need to look for other ways to expedite the process and maximize government resources,” he noted.
Aside from housing delivery, DHSUD also prioritized disaster response and urban renewal.
Programs like the Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP) and the distribution of housing materials and essentials (HOMEs) have benefitted over 6,000 families affected by calamities, utilizing over ₱130 million of the ₱200 million IDSAP fund as of December 13.
Last December 20, Acuzar also signed an agreement with Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) president Manuel Muhi to begin the implementation of the President Marcos’ flagship 4PH project in PUP Sta. Mesa and Taguig campuses.
The signed memorandum of understanding will fast-track the ground works for both DHSUD and PUP teams to execute the planned housing projects. PUP initially proposed two buildings for their area in Taguig with a total of 386 units, according to DHSUD.
The housing agency also spearheads the Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli (PBBM) Project under the Inter-Agency Council for the Pasig River Urban Development (IAC-PRUD).
The initiative aims to restore the river’s vibrancy and harness its economic potential through tourism and transportation. A 500-meter showcase area near Intramuros has already been opened.
In February, DHSUD launched the Plan and Do (PLANADO) program to enhance land use planning and urban development.
From January to September, the agency approved licenses to sell 143,301 residential units across 367 projects and processed 138 Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) and Provincial Physical Framework Plans.
Acuzar reported there are 26,307 registered homeowners’ associations, 224 federations and 36 confederations as of September.
“The government alone cannot solve the decades-old housing woes and the massive urbanization,” he noted. “But we intend to turn these challenges into opportunities. We are not discouraged, instead, we strive harder to pursue our mandates,” Acuzar said.
