MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday, March 27, said the government was “still studying” how it could use vacant, idle land for public housing — some four months after Malacañang first announced that it would issue an executive order on the matter. 

Marcos on Monday attended the groundbreaking of a housing community in Valenzuela City and the inauguration of new buildings in an existing housing project in Malabon. 

“Patuloy nating pinag-aaralan kung paano isasagawa ang pagtukoy at paggamit sa mga bakanteng lupa ng gobyerno na maaaring  tayuan ng mga pabahay, ayon sa ating mga batas at alituntunin,” said Marcos in Valenzuela, for the groundbreaking of the Disiplina Village in Barangay Arkong Bato. 

(We continue to study how to identify and use idle government land so that we can build houses on them, according to our laws and rules.)

The Disiplina Village is a Valenzuela City project to relocate residents in hazard-prone areas. The complex, like in nearby Malabon, is relatively close to commercial and industrial centers and contain services for its residents. 

Marcos promised to address the country’s housing backlog – some 6 million homes when he assumed office. He promised to build some 6 million homes before his term ends, meaning his administration and local governments like Valenzuela and Malabon, as well, should construct at least one million houses every year.

Even as he called on other local governments to follow Valenzuela and Malabon’s cue in creating affordable and dignified housing for its residents, Marcos said government should work with the private sector “to realize our collective goals.”

In a November 2022 press release, Malacañang said Marcos would sign an executive order  that would operationalize Section 24 of the Republic Act 11201 or the law creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

Under the law, passed during the previous Duterte administration, various government departments are tasked to identify idle government land that could be used for housing and rural development. 

The President said in November 2022 that the EO “will not create new regulations but will just enforce the existing law.” He has yet to issue the said EO. – Rappler.com