President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led on Wednesday the “mega groundbreaking” of six housing projects in six cities and municipalities in Bulacan province, which could generate up to 30,000 shelter units.
“Sa pamamagitan po ng proyektong ito, maisasakatuparan [ng] libu-libong Bulakenyo ang pangarap nila na magkaroon ng maayos at abot-kayang bahay na matatawag nilang sariling tahanan,” President Marcos said during groundbreaking of the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program.
“Ito ay bahagi ng programa ng inyong pamahalaan na 1 milyong bahay sa iba’t ibang dako ng bansa sa bawat taon sa Administrasyong Marcos,” the President said.
The historic simultaneous launch is another testament of the continuing rollout of the administration’s flagship 4PH program aimed at building 1 million housing units annually until 2028 to address the country’s housing backlog pegged at more than 6.5 million units.
The groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted in San Jose Del Monte City, Pulilan and San Rafael, where President Marcos and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar led the events while DHSUD key officials along with local government units (LGUs) executives presided over the activities in Pandi, Guiguinto and Malolos City
A total of 12, 563 housing units will be constructed during the initial phase of the six projects in San Jose Del Monte City.
Based on the submitted master development plans, the Bulacan housing projects could generate about 30,000 shelters when expanded into additional phases.
Aside from housing, the President said he plans to expand the 4H program to include building other facilities in education as well as in healthcare.
The housing program is an important component of government initiative to address housing backlog in the country, the chief executive said.
Several beneficiaries expressed their gratitude as the administration’s flagship housing program reached the grassroots in their respective areas. They branded 4PH as a huge step towards realizing their dream of owning a house of their own.
In Barangay Gaya-gaya, San Jose Del Monte City, the Rising City Residential Project composed of nine 8-story buildings with initial target of at least 1,890 housing units and commercial area on a 6.9-hectare land was the first site inaugurated.
This was followed by the groundbreaking ceremony in Barangay Caingin in San Rafael town for the 7-hectare San Rafael Heights Development Project where 3,920 residential condominium units will be initially built.
The President and DHSUD Secretary then proceeded to Pulilan town for the inauguration of the Mom’s Ville Homeowners Association Incorporated project in Barangay Penabatan, which will be initially composed of eight 10-story residential buildings with 1,920 housing units in a 2-hectare property.
Meanwhile, three other groundbreaking ceremonies in Bulacan were simultaneously conducted and publicly aired – the 12-hectare Pandi Terraces in Barangay Bagong Barrio, Pandi with its proposed 4,050 units; the 2-hectare Municipal Government of Guiguinto Employees Housing in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Guiguinto with 108 units; and the 2.6-hectare Pambansang Pabahay para sa Maloleño Program 2023-2025 in Barangay Santor, Malolos City with 675 units. Some DHSUD executives led the last three events.
Empowered by Republic Act 11201, or the “Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Act,” the 4PH Program is part of the DHSUD’s thrust to fulfill its mandate to develop and adopt a national strategy to address the proper and timely provision of adequate and affordable shelter to Filipino families. Similarly, the Department – as the primary agency responsible for the management of housing and urban development in the country – is tasked with policy creation, regulation, stakeholder coordination and progress monitoring of the projects under the 4PH Program.
Under the new housing program, the DHSUD is also tasked to ensure the alignment of the policies, programs and projects of its attached agencies to facilitate the achievement of the program’s objective.
So far, more than 130 memoranda of understanding have been signed by DHSUD with various LGUs from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao since the launching of 4PH last September.
