The Marcos administration's target to build six million housing units under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino housing program is achievable, Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito said Wednesday.

In an interview on Daily Tribune's digital program "Straight Talk," Ejercito described the goal as "ambitious," but he noted that it could be achieved with the help of other key shelter agencies of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

The lawmaker, who authored Republic Act 11201 which created the DHSUD, revealed a rift between DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and National Housing Authority General Manager Joeben Tai that must be resolved.

"I've been vocal about it. It appears that the GM of the NHA is not on good terms with the DHSUD secretary," he said.

"That should not happen because the NHA is the construction arm of the DHSUD. They have the technical people," he pointed out.

Ejercito said Tai continuously asserts that he reports directly to the President because the NHA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation or GOCC.

"It was not supposed to be that way. The reason we created the department is to integrate all key shelter agencies under one roof to move in one direction," the senator said.

"The housing agencies before were moving on their own hence, they were a failure. If he (Tai) insists on doing it his way, that's contrary to the vision of having one full-fledged department," he added.

Ejercito said he spoke with Tai to find a solution to the problem.

"I told him, 'Don't just consider yourself a GOCC. Yes, you are a GOCC, but don't say you will report directly to the President,'" he said.

"'You still have to go through the DHSUD secretary. The secretary should still have the final say, he's the alter ego of the President,'" he added.

Ejercito fears that Acuzar and Tai's differences could prevent them from achieving the government's goal.

"It will definitely be an obstacle. The NHA produces socialized housing units for indigent Filipinos, government employees, and uniformed personnel," he said.

"They should be complementary to each other," he said, adding that he also discussed the issue with Acuzar.

"He told me that he would just focus on his work and doesn't want to mind his problem with Tai," he said. "I told him: 'No, it should not be like that. It is your construction arm. They have the engineers and technical people in the NHA.'"

He added: "I think they need to shape up. The one million units per year will be very difficult to achieve if they will not be united. The reason I authored and sponsored the creation of the DHSUD is to make sure that they will move in only one direction."