By the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development
Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, Filipino homebuyers are no longer considered as a “captive market” with limited options, as the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) now provides various options and modalities under the government’s flagship housing program.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said that upon the directive of the President to recalibrate the flagship housing program to reach more beneficiaries, DHSUD transformed the Expanded 4PH Program into a simplified, people-centric, and sustainable approach to address homelessness in the country.
As part of the Expanded 4PH, Secretary Aliling included horizontal developments, or subdivision-like projects; revived the beneficiary-centered community mortgage program (CMP) and the promotion of rental and incremental housing, thus offering more options and modalities that suit the individual needs of targeted homebuyers/beneficiaries.
The DHSUD subsequently tapped its key shelter agencies (KSAs) for specific tasks, with the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) assigned to the revival and enhancement of CMP with provision for incremental housing; the National Housing Authority (NHA) taking the lead on rental housing; the Pag-IBIG Fund introducing its own exclusive low-interest-rate programs for socialized housing; and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) to actively pursue housing secondary market.
More options
“With these, we now have more options to offer to our beneficiaries depending on the need and their capacity. Instead of the previous limited choices that render home buyers as a captive market, we have transformed Expanded 4PH into a beneficiary-focused program,” Secretary Aliling said.
“This is in compliance with President Marcos Jr.’s instruction to widen our range of beneficiaries—from the working class down to the most vulnerable sector of our society,” he added.
A captive market is defined as a market with only a few sellers, hence, limited choices for consumers/homebuyers, and creating a monopoly-like situation.
Previously, 4PH was focused only on the construction of vertical developments or condominium-type projects that did not gain enough traction from targeted beneficiaries due to high cost compared to subdivision-type housing, which remains to be the preference of many homebuyers.
Gaining traction
Immediately after the inclusion of horizontal socialized housing to the Expanded 4PH, at least 42 private developers committed more than 250,000 units to the President’s flagship program in the next three years.
At the same time, the recalibration of Expanded 4PH was supported by the four major private developers’ groups in the country, namely, the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (CREBA), National Real Estate Association (NREA), Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP), and Subdivision and Housing Developers Association Inc. (SHDA).
In a joint letter dated July 7, 2025, they vowed their strong and unified commitment to help address the country’s pressing housing needs through the Expanded 4PH.
“In manifestation of our shared optimism towards your administration and the potential of a recalibrated 4PH to deliver meaningful solutions to our country’s overwhelming housing needs, we are pleased to submit the initial list of private developers who have expressed commitment to participate in the production of socialized housing under the program. To date, these commitments total 251,846 units,” the group stated.
The private developers also expressed full support to Secretary Aliling’s leadership.
“We see this not merely as a numerical pledge, but as a concrete reflection of the mass housing sector’s confidence in the direction the Department is taking under your stewardship,” they added.
Streamlined process
The private stakeholders also applauded the DHSUD’s pursuit of simplified, streamlined, and transparent processes under Secretary Aliling’s 8-Point Agenda.
Technical Working Groups (TWGs), with representations from the private sector, are now reviewing DHSUD procedures as part of the streamlining efforts. The DHSUD is also pushing for the full digitalization of the Department and the establishment of housing one-stop centers.
Policies on the expeditious resolution of concerns and issues, along with the zero backlog on all pending applications, were also issued. Secretary Aliling also stressed his zero tolerance for corruption.
“Malinaw po ang utos ng Pangulong Marcos Jr.—pabilisin ang serbisyo ng gobyerno, ipaabot ang Expanded 4PH sa mga nagsisikap magtrabaho at mga walang-wala sa buhay upang magkaroon sila ng sariling tahanan. ‘Yan po ang direksyon ng DHSUD, ang palawakin pa ang programang pabahay,” Secretary Aliling said. (PR)
