Housing units under the government’s socialized housing program (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — Over 100,000 housing units will be available next year under the government’s housing program, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar announced on Monday.
“Next year, sa tingin namin na may made-deliver na bahay talaga, more than a hundred thousand, by next year, kasi nagtatayuan pa,” said Acuzar in an ambush interview in San Fernando, Pampanga.
(We think we can deliver more than a hundred thousand actual houses next year because we are still constructing them.)
The projected number, however, is a mere 10 percent of the government’s yearly target of one million units.
6 million units in 6 years
Asked if the government is still on track to reach its target of 6 million housing units by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term, Azuzar replied “almost.”
“Almost, kasi alam niyo po, bago yan, so ang process natin medyo matagal kasi bago ang sistema, so yun nalang ang matagal doon,” said Acuzar.
(Almost, because as you know, it is new, so our process is a bit slow because it is new, and that is what’s slowing down the process.)
Interest subsidy
Acuzar said President Marcos devised a new way for the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program, his administration’s flagship housing program.
“Ang ginawa ni President Marcos dito, nagbigay siya ng interest subsidy, para makuha namin ang private bonds. Kasi pag private bonds ang ginamit natin, maraming pondo yan, katulad ng ginagawa ng developers kapag nagtatayo ng mga building, private bonds po lahat yan,” said Acuzar.
(President Marcos approved an interest subsidy, so we can get the private bonds. If we use private bonds, it is a big source of funds, like what developers do if they construct a building, those are all private bonds.)
Acuzar had previously warned the country’s housing backlog may hit 11 million units by 2028 if they are hampered by a lack of funding.