Marcos administration aims to build 1 million housing units per year

CEBU, Philippines – The government aims to build at least a million housing units annually to provide the large population of informal settlers secured shelter, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday, February 27.

“The only solution to informal settlers is housing. There’s really no other way to solve that problem,” Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for the 60-hectare South Coastal Urban Development (SCUD) Housing Project in Barangay Basak-San Nicolas, Cebu City.

The current housing backlog, he admitted, is six million.

“Gagawin namin lahat para maabot yan. Kung di tayo makaabot this year, ipapaspas natin yung next year para average natin one million a year,” the president said in response to questions from reporters.

(We will do everything to reach that. If we can’t make it this year, we’ll try to do it fast next year so our average is one million a year)

The presiden at the start of his term had tagged homelessness as a huge problem in the country.

Scammers have even taken advantage of homeless Filipinos, attempting to waylay them in July 2022 with a fake “nationwide free housing program” through an unverified link on Facebook.

In January 2023, the government also had to warn the public to be wary of Facebook pages and websites that claim Marcos is giving away “free housing” and cash assistance to poor Filipinos online.

Cebu housing project

The Cebu City government aims to provide 30,000 housing units for residents. This housing project is also a part of the national government’s flagship program, the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH). 

The project comes in three phases, with the first phase comprising 10 buildings within a 25-hectare development site. Each of the buildings will be 20 stories high.

The Cebu City government is also currently trying to provide housing for 20,000 informal settler families (ISF) affected by its modernization and flood-control programs.

So far, however, only 8,000 ISFs are part of the 30,000-unit goal.

In October 2022, Mayor Mike Rama defended his P50-billion proposed 2023 budget, saying he plans to constructing 200 medium-rise buildings (MRBs) for socialized housing before his term ends in 2025.

Rama said solving the housing problem is a must if the city aspires to become like Singapore. The projected amount for the construction of 200 MRBs is P24 billion, plus P1 billion for lot acquisition.

Directive

Although the President’s goal is 1 million housing units a year, as of this writing the national government official projection so far is around 600,000 confirmed housing units.

Marcos ordered the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD) to ensure that these housing projects would be fulfilled and that his administration meets the 1-million housing quota.

“Sa tulong ng mga masisipag na kawani ng DHSUD, na pinangungunahan ni Secretary Jerry Acuzar, naniniwala akong kayang-kaya natin itong makamit sa ilalim ng aking panunungkulan,”Marcos said.

(With the help of the hardworking staff of the DHSUD, led by Secretary Jerry Acuzar, I believe that we can really reach this goal under my tenure)

Marcos also promised that the housing will be affordable and disaster-resilient.

On the same day, he also attended the same ceremony for the country’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. –Rappler.com