DHSUD reviews housing price ceilings to support 4PH

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is intensifying its coordination with industry stakeholders to update housing policies and support the expanded rollout of the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, a flagship initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

DHSUD Assistant Secretary Frank Lloyd Gonzaga, representing Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, led a meeting on Thursday with the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Price Ceiling Adjustment for Socialized Housing Developments. The group is reviewing Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2023-003 to recalibrate price ceilings for socialized subdivision and condominium projects.

"We must ensure that our housing policies are responsive to the needs of our fellow Filipinos. We have to balance affordability and sustainability. This is not about numbers, this is about equity — making sure that no Filipino is left behind as we advance President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s vision of a more progressive Bagong Pilipinas through the implementation of the expanded 4PH," Secretary Aliling said in a statement.

The Expanded 4PH now includes horizontal housing developments and new modalities to better address the housing needs of Filipinos, particularly vulnerable groups. The price ceiling review aligns with Aliling’s 8-Point Agenda, which seeks to harmonize housing policies with the country’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Participants in the TWG include representatives from the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA); National Real Estate Association, Inc. (NREA); Chamber of Real Estate and Builders' Associations (CREBA); and Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines, Inc. (OSHDP). The group is expected to submit its recommendations by October 2025.

"The directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is to really cater to the segment na dapat nating i-cater. Government housing should cater to all Filipinos, from the working class to the poorest of the poor. We are expanding 4PH to cover more vulnerable sectors, and make it more inclusive and sustainable," Aliling added.