Marcos Jr. cautions beneficiaries against leasing out gov’t housing units

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. strongly suggested that government housing program recipients should not lease out their homes.

Doing so, he said, would render the purpose of the program moot.

In a chance interview in Mandaue City, Marcos stressed the idea that government housing units should be given to those who genuinely need decent and affordable homes, citing the long-running issue of renting system that is now being tackled.

He assured the public that his administration put systems in place to ensure that ownership of housing units could not be transferred. 

“Marami tayong ginawang sistema na hindi transferrable yung pag-aari ng tirahan. Kung kaya nila na ipa-rent out, hindi nila kailangan ‘yung ibibigay natin. Kung sino ‘yung talagang nangangailangan na wala silang pinagkikitaan,” he said.

(The government has put in place several systems so that the ownership of the houses are not transferable. If they can rent the units out, it means they don’t really need the housing unit. We will only give it to those who can’t afford their own houses.)

“Hindi nila pwedeng ipaupa ‘yung ating ibinigay na bahay sa kanila,” Marcos added. 

The President said the government is looking at payment schemes that it can implement to help lessen the burden for those who will avail of the housing program.

“Wala silang kaya, kaya hahanapan namin ng paraan para siguro pwedeng i-delay ‘yung pagbayad. Titingnan natin, maraming scheme ang ginagawa ngayon ang Human Settlements,” the President said.

(They can’t afford it so we’re finding ways to help them. Maybe they can delay their payments. We will see. We will look at many schemes.)

Marcos went to Mandaue City after leading the groundbreaking ceremony for a housing project in Cebu City. 

/abc