Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Rizalino Acuzar assured on Monday that all housing units under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program are designed to promote climate resilience.

This follows President Marcos Jr.'s directive to DHSUD to explore climate-resilient housing designs to reduce the impact of natural disasters on human settlements and ensure the safety of public housing beneficiaries.

"All 4PH projects are of high quality, as they comply with our Building Code and the government, together with local government units, is focused on constructing these housing projects," Acuzar emphasized.

"DHSUD also ensures that our 4PH projects are not located in hazardous or disaster-prone areas and align with the approved Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Local Shelter Plans of our LGUs," he added.

The DHSUD is also leading the "Plan and Do" or Planado Program, which aims to promote climate resilience by incorporating climate change considerations into urban planning.

The program focuses on developing sustainable and resilient communities through streamlined land-use planning and coordination with various stakeholders, ultimately creating cities better equipped to handle the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and extreme weather events.

Currently, at least 56 projects under 4PH are at various stages of development and construction, with some buildings already completed.

Last month, the first 4PH units at the Palayan City Township Development in Nueva Ecija were ceremoniously turned over to overseas Filipino worker-beneficiaries by President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at Malacañang.

In Bacolod City, the local government last week began turning over housing units to beneficiaries at the Asenso Yuhum Residences, which is part of the 4PH flagship program.

Acuzar expressed his satisfaction that the government is now seeing the early results of the flagship housing program, two years after its creation, aiming to resolve the country’s housing challenges.

"The ongoing turnover of units and the simultaneous development and construction of housing projects are solid proof that 4PH is on the right track. This is evidence that we can tap private funds for public housing," Acuzar said.

"Our government, under the leadership of President Bongbong Marcos, has programs in place to ensure that our housing is safe and of high quality, and that the communities where housing projects are built are strong and progressive," he added.