Members of the academe and informal settlers will benefit from a pilot rental housing project under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program within the University of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman, Quezon City.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the UP on Thursday signed a memorandum of agreement to implement the project. 

Located in Pook Marilag, UP Diliman, Quezon City, the project aims to provide affordable rental housing for UP faculty members, non-teaching personnel, and long-time informal settler families within the campus. 

It is the first rental-housing initiative implemented within a state university under the flagship housing program.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the partnership followed President Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand housing access and ensure dignified living for Filipino families.

“President Marcos Jr.’s directive is clear: ensure that no Filipino is left behind in the government’s housing program. The goal is for more dreams to be fulfilled through the support of the government, especially for those who need it most,” Aliling said.

The Marilag Residences Rental Housing Project will be developed through a design-and-build scheme. The UP Office of Design and Planning Initiatives will provide construction management support to ensure alignment with the university’s development standards.

The project’s first phase covers the construction of three four-story buildings with 107 housing units each, using pre-fabricated residential clusters. 

Diversified options

A total of 321 units are planned, along with essential utilities, drainage systems, water tanks, and designated access routes. Full-site development includes 152 parking spaces, access roads, and utility connections.

Aliling emphasized that the project strengthens efforts to diversify shelter options under the Expanded 4PH Program by accommodating families who prefer or require rental-based housing.

“Rental housing is one of the key housing modalities under President Marcos Jr.’s expanded 4PH Program — an initiative designed to help more Filipino families gain access to safe, decent, and truly affordable homes,” he noted.

He added that the development is envisioned to serve as a long-term community for members of the UP System.

“May it be that, in time, the Pook Marilag housing project will be known not merely as a building, but as a home for dreams, triumphs, and new beginnings,” Aliling said. 

Preparatory works for the construction of the Phase 1 buildings shall commence upon signing of the MoA.