Senator Joseph Victor "JV" Ejercito, the primary author of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Act or Republic Act 11201, is sad over the "measly" allocation of DHSUD for 2024 even as he called for the prioritization of housing to address the backlog.

"One of our main tasks or responsibilities in the Senate every budget season… since this is our so-called 'baby', kailangan naman nating bantayan 'yung implementation," Senator Ejercito said during Monday's budget hearing.

"It's really sad that it's receiving a measly budget of P5.4 billion. Listening earlier, 'pag 1 billion, 2 billion… they can only do about 2,000 units considering the cost right now… ambilis ng pag-increase ng cost of construction," he added.

Senator Ejercito recalled that during the drafting of the DHSUD law, the housing backlog of the country was only two million. It has now ballooned to more than six million. He then appealed to put the housing sector as one the priorities of the government.

"Usually po kasi, ang housing always receives one of the smallest budgets… We're hoping, Madam Chair (Senator Rissa Hontiveros), we do not want the creation of the Department to fail because after all we really work hard for this, and our aim is really for the government to show that we are indeed serious in addressing the housing problem, the housing backlog, and to put the housing program as one of the priorities. Kaya nga full-fledged department na ito," he pointed out.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar informed the Senate committee that the Department is doing what it can to complement the budget being allocated from the government coffers, stressing the innovative financial scheme that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program has adopted.

He stressed that under 4PH, DHSUD will not rely solely on government funding but is tapping the private sector to actively participate in the program.

"In previous strategies, 36 billion pesos can generate only 36,000 units. With the new program, P36 billion can produce 1 million houses," referring to the partnership that the 4PH offers to the private sector as developers and contractors.

The P36 billon is the intended interest support for 1 million housing units.

In response, Senator Ejercito backed the 4PH vision of bridging the country's housing gap, with Secretary Acuzar at the helm.

"Like what I mentioned before, I think we need somebody like Secretary Acuzar who would think outside the box, kasi kung susundin lang natin yung dating sistema, yung dating programa yung backlog palaki lang ng palaki ito because we can only achieve or do so much, or produce houses," Senator Ejercito added.

DHSUD has initially proposed P116 billion for FY 2024 but the National Expenditure Program only reflected P5.4 billion for the entire sector. It is proposing an increase amounting to 13.86 billion.

"Be rest assured that we will definitely support ang target natin talaga," said Senator Ejercito, reiterating his advocacy to bring the housing sector up the government prioritization ladder.

Senator Risa Hontiveros presided over the discussions, also joined in-betweens by Francis Tolentino, Cynthia Villar, Robinhood Padilla, Ronald Dela Rosa and Joel Villanueva.