PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Monday vowed to accelerate state-backed housing projects, saying his administration would prioritize building “entire communities” with schools, markets and health facilities instead of bare shelters.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 1,099-unit St. Barts Southville Heights housing project in San Pablo City, Laguna province, the President said housing for families displaced by the Philippine National Railways South Long-Haul Project serves as a model for future resettlement efforts.
“This is our goal: along with developing infrastructure, we are also improving the lives of our fellow citizens,” he said. “No one is left behind.”
The government has completed only 1,900 housing units under Mr. Marcos’ flagship program, Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling told a House of Representatives hearing on Sept. 1 — well short of the 6 million homes pledged in 2022.
He added that their target would only be 300,000 until 2028 from 6 million.
The San Pablo site will feature public amenities including a school, health center, daycare, marketplace, transport terminal, covered court and provisions for churches and parks.
Mr. Marcos cited the passage of the National Housing Authority Act, which extends the agency’s mandate for 25 more years, ensuring continuity beyond his term.
While the President underscored the long-term approach, the government has yet to clarify how it will balance costs amid fiscal pressures from debt and competing social programs.
Meanwhile, the Pag-IBIG Fund may develop its own socialized housing projects if the government falls short of its target of building 250,000 units within three years, Pag-IBIG Vice-President Domingo C. Jacinto, Jr. told reporters last week.
“If the inventory of socialized housing units is still lacking, we can explore initiating the development of these units ourselves,” he said.
He said supply has been inadequate for the past three years, though the expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program could help close the gap by now covering both house-and-lot and subdivision projects, in addition to condominium units.
Mr. Jacinto said Pag-IBIG has enough funding to build units given its lending portfolio for private developers. The agency finances about 20,000 to 30,000 socialized housing units annually.
“If we do build our own, we will build projects which are within our plans and within our financial needs,” he said. “But we’re studying it because we need to ensure that there is a constant, available supply of socialized housing units in the market.” — CMAH and AMCS
