Motivated by the support extended by local government units (LGU) for the flagship mass housing project of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said his administration is now eyeing to further increase the number of beneficiaries of the initiative.
“Patuloy ring nagsasaliksik ang ating pamahalaan kung paano pa natin mapapalawak ang mga programa para sa tiyak na pabahay. [The government continues to study how the program can be further expanded],” the President said during the groundbreaking of Naga City’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) project on Thursday.
The President said DHSUD is already crafting strategies on how to secure more funding for its housing projects and to use additional vacant government land for the said purpose.
Currently, the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) has allocated P250 billion for the 4PH.
Meanwhile, lands for the housing projects are provided by the LGUs through an agreement with DHSUD.
Marcos said DHSUD has already signed 83 memorandum of understanding (MOU) and four memorandum of agreements (MOA) for its housing program as of March 13, 2023.
These accords led to 4PH groundbreaking ceremonies in 17 LGUs nationwide.
“Napakahalaga itong ganitong klaseng kasunduan sapagkat mas unti-unti na nating mabibigyang katugunan ang matagal na nating hangarin na magkaroon ng maayos at ligtas na tirahan para sa ating mga mamamayan. [Such agreements are important since these would allow us to gradually address our goal to provide fine and safe housing for our citizens],” the President said.
Among the latest LGUs to sign such an agreement were from Camarines Sur, where more than 13,000 housing units will soon be constructed under the 4PH program.
Of which, 11,880 housing units will be built on a 6-hectare land on Panganiban Drive, Naga City.
It was the first 4PH program that was initiated by the DHSUD with a provincial government.
Another 1,200 units will be built on a 1.2-hectare area in Balatas, Naga City.
Both projects will be in addition to the almost 600,000 housing units, which was announced by Marcos last month to be built through 4PH.
Under the 4PH initiative, the government is targeting to construct 1 million new housing units per year to address the estimated 6 million housing backlog in the country.
The said settlement areas will be complimented with access to basic and vital facilities such as schools, market, medical facilities as well as livelihood infrastructure.
Image credits: Cherylramalho | Dreamstime.com
