As he had initiated significant mandates and initiatives in running the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), the National Real Estate Association, Inc. (NREA), an umbrella organization of real estate stakeholders, on Friday aired their full support for Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling.

In a statement sent to the DAILY TRIBUNE, NREA president Atty. Amador Tolentino Jr. stressed they are supporting Aliling as he is doing his job well on the expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program championed by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.

He said the endorsement follows a crucial "no-holds-barred" dialogue between NREA leaders and Aliling recently.

Tolentino Jr. underlined that the recalibrated 4PH is now more comprehensive and inclusive, enabling wider participation from the private sector.

The program, which previously focused on vertical or high-rise developments, has been expanded to include horizontal, or subdivision projects, “to better suit the needs and preferences of more Filipino families.”

For her part, NREA Chairperson Imelda Magtoto highlighted that this expansion, along with the promotion of other housing solutions like rental, incremental, and community-driven programs, will greatly improve affordability for lower-income homebuyers, who are the primary target of the 4PH program.

She added that these diverse modalities will also lessen the government’s financial burden by reducing the need for costly subsidies associated with high-rise developments.

The expanded program also encourages small and medium-scale developers, who may have been challenged by the high costs of vertical projects, to participate.

During the dialogue, Magtoto specifically suggested that the government explore "horizontal housing, the rental housing… [and] incremental housing" as potential solutions to meet housing targets.

In response, Secretary Aliling confirmed that the DHSUD is already developing integrated approaches and reaffirmed the government's commitment to the President's vision.

"This is not just about building houses; this is about building dignified lives, building hope, and building a future where no one is left behind," Aliling stated.

The NREA leaders also praised Secretary Aliling’s 8-Point Agenda, which they believe laid the blueprint for the expanded 4PH, fast-tracking new frameworks and guidelines to broaden the program’s focus from the middle class to the poorest of the poor.

It also aims for the full digitalization of DHSUD processes by 2028, further streamlining the program's implementation.

Apart from NREA, other major private developers’ groups in the country, namely, the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA), the Organization of Socialized and Economic Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP), and the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association, Inc. (SHDA), aired support for the recalibration of the Expanded 4PH, with 42 private developers committed to more than 250,000 units to the President’s flagship program in the next three years.