President Marcos —PNA Photo
President Marcos appeared more confident of meeting his ambitious housing agenda on Wednesday as he led the groundbreaking of six government projects in Bulacan under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing Program (4PH).
He said the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) expected to exceed its target of building 1 million housing units every year until 2028 to fill the backlog of more than 6.5 million units.
“What are we now? Ten months, but Housing Secretary (Jose Rizalino Acuzar) already has 1.2 million in the works. Let’s see. Just carry on,” President Marcos said, praising Acuzar’s track record in housing development.
“I am very confident because he actually did it when he was in the private sector. He knows what he’s doing. So I think we just wait for the actual structures to start coming up,” said the Chief Executive.
Mr. Marcos said the increasing number of loan availment and the increase in Pag-IBIG Fund membership show the program is sustainable.
“I was just teasing Secretary Jerry,” the President related. “I said, next time, bring us to those that have already been built so people can’t say that we can only cut ribbons but nothing is happening.”
“That’s the next part: we will inspect, so we will really see that it’s being implemented,” he added.
Press Secretary Cheloy Velicaria-Garafil reported that the DHSUD has entered into more than 130 memoranda of understanding with local government units from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao since the launch of 4PH in September last year.
In Bulacan alone, the six projects the President inaugurated on Wednesday could generate up to 30,000 shelter units, based on the projects’ master development plan.
The housing projects include the San Rafael Heights Development Project in Barangay Caingin in San Rafael, the Rising City Residential Project in Barangay Gaya-Gaya, San Jose del Monte City and the Mom’s Ville Homeowners Association Incorporated Project in Barangay Penabatan, Pulilan.
The chief executive also led the simultaneous groundbreaking ceremonies in Malolos and the towns of Pandi and Guiguinto.