By Brian Campued
Reflecting President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s aspirations to provide safe, decent, and affordable housing opportunities for Filipinos, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) delivered and launched housing projects for Naguenos under the administration’s flagship expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program.
During the Naga City Housing Development Milestone Ceremony, which coincided with the 78th anniversary of Naga City’s Charter on Thursday, DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling led the turnover of 101 modular housing units (MSUs) to beneficiaries at the Bayanihan Village Transition Housing in Barangay Pacol.
The temporary shelters were initially intended for families displaced by a recent fire incident.
A total of 300 units of modular houses will be built on the two-hectare property owned by the city government in Barangays Pacol and Cararayan, with at least 151 units slated for completion this June. These housing units will also benefit residents affected by government clearing operations and disaster-related risks.
This, as cleanup activities continue along major rivers, creeks, and lakes in Naga City under “Oplan Kontra Baha,” a multi-sectoral campaign launched by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) last year to clear clogged and polluted waterways and drainages as part of the government’s flood mitigation and management efforts.
Aliling and Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo also led the groundbreaking for the first-ever rental housing project for Naga City in Barangay Lerma, followed by the unveiling of the proposed building design that will serve as a blueprint for the city’s future rental housing development.
Agreements were also signed to provide socialized housing for government employees under Pag-IBIG Fund, while P26 million-worth of checks were awarded to two homeowners associations under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP) of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC).
“Through strong collaboration among the national and local government and private sector partners, we are providing more housing opportunities to the people,” Secretary Aliling said.
“Under the directive of President Marcos Jr., we will continue working closely with our local government partners to ensure that no family is left behind as we pursue safer, more resilient, and inclusive communities through the Expanded 4PH Program,” he added.
Meanwhile, Robredo lauded the administration of President Marcos Jr. as well as DHSUD for being “aggressive” in rolling out housing projects across the country.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo sa national government, bahagi ito ng programa ng administrasyon ni President Bongbong Marcos na talagang aggressive na pabahay para sa mga walang bahay,” she said.
As former vice president, Robredo briefly chaired the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in 2016, lamenting the lack of budget for housing.
HUDCC was later merged with the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) to establish DHSUD in 2019.
“For a very long time, hindi natin nakita na ganito ka-aggressive ang national government as far as housing is concerned,” Robredo said, commending Aliling for being able to expand housing programs despite budget constraints.
-jpv
