The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is exploring rental housing support for low-income families under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s flagship housing program, Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH), in a bid to make the initiative more inclusive.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling said on Sunday that the department is considering all possible options to expand the program’s reach and impact.

“We must explore all feasible options under 4PH. The more schemes we offer our fellow Filipinos — tailored to their needs and financial capacity — the better,” Aliling explained.

He added that the department is currently studying the potential inclusion of rental housing as one of the program’s modalities. This would particularly benefit families from the lower income brackets, especially those who are not yet ready for full homeownership.

Aliling, who officially assumed office last week, also announced a major shift in the program’s focus. The 4PH will now include horizontal housing developments — like subdivision-style projects — moving away from its original emphasis on vertical, condominium-style housing.

Supporting this shift, Raemulan Lands Inc., a leading developer of socialized housing, has committed to delivering 35,656 housing units over the next two years to back the expanded program.

The DHSUD Central Office is currently drafting new guidelines to formally incorporate horizontal housing into the 4PH framework.

This move is part of the administration’s broader effort to address the country’s housing backlog by providing more diverse and accessible housing options for Filipino families.