QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar expressed his support for Senate Bill 2108 filed by Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go.
The bill aims to institutionalize the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program, the flagship housing program of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., to ensure sustainability.
The 4PH program aims to build one million housing units annually until 2028 to address the country's housing gap. The bill provides a mechanism to subsidize amortization and interest for the beneficiaries, with potential buyer-beneficiaries required to commit to paying the subsidized housing loan amortization.
Additionally, the National Comprehensive Housing Financing Program proposed by Senator Francis Tolentino seeks to automatically appropriate funds for the government’s housing agencies.
DHSUD has promised full support to the bill and all other related measures in Congress.
Secretary Acuzar emphasized the importance of institutionalizing the Pambansang Pabahay to ensure its support by future administrations until the mission of providing decent shelter for all Filipinos is complete.
The Urban Poor Action Committee (UPAC) expressed its support for the 4PH program and presented housing projects that could benefit from the program.
Recently, UPAC has presented the housing projects borne of the coordination between the members of UPAC and the residents of the concerned communities. Notable of these projects were the 96,600-square meter Parola, Manila project with 25,000 families; the 49-hectare (ha) Baseco Port Area project in Manila with 24,000 beneficiary families; the 10-ha Camarin DHSUD property in Caloocan City to benefit 6,000 families; and the 17-ha National Government Center project in Quezon City to benefit 30,000 families. Also discussed were issues facing Lupang Arenda.
DHSUD as the primary government agency responsible for the management of housing, human settlements and urban development as its mandate under Republic Act 11201, is tasked as the lead implementer of “Pambansang Pabahay”. (DHSUD / PIA-NCR)
