Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) officials and staff were given an ultimatum — shape up or ship out of the housing agency.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling praised personnel who embrace reforms, at the same time firing off a blunt warning to the inefficient and those that won’t align with the agency’s zero-tolerance policy on corruption.

Speaking at the department’s weekly flag-raising ceremony, Aliling stressed that adherence to the DHSUD’s 8-Point Agenda, particularly its anti-corruption mandate, was non-negotiable.

“We will let nothing slide here. We will not stop. You have three options: shape up, step out, or be kicked out,” he said in Filipino.

Aliling underscored President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s marching orders to ensure public service that is “honest, clean, fast, and compassionate,” saying this will be the department’s guiding principle moving forward.

Remiss on safety checks

State auditors, for instance, have flagged the DHSUD for not conducting safety checks on 110 real estate development projects.

These projects, involving condominiums and subdivisions, were not inspected for environmental and public safety standards within the mandated six-month period after the issuance of registration and sales licenses.

Meanwhile, Aliling cited recent milestones under the administration’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, including the revival and enhancement of the Community Mortgage Program (CMP).

The updated Expanded CMP is projected to benefit about 7,000 families, with awards to beneficiaries expected to begin by October.

The DHSUD chief also announced the planned rollout of the Expanded 4PH’s rental housing modality with the University of the Philippines eyed as the pilot site, pending approval by the UP Board of Regents on 28 August.

On the agency’s Zero Backlog Program, Aliling commended the staff for slashing the number of pending cases involving homeowners associations and housing and real estate development regulations (HREDR) from 3,000 to 900 in under two months.

“From 3,000, in less than two months after we started the Zero Backlog Program, we have resolved around 2,000 items,” he noted.

Despite these gains, Aliling admitted there was still “much to be improved” and disclosed that he has received adverse reports from certain regional offices. He vowed to take appropriate action after verification is completed this week.