Residents of an informal settlement in Barangay Wawang Pulo, after nearly three decades of uncertainty, have moved closer to owning the land beneath their homes following the release of housing assistance under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program of the Marcos administration.

Beneficiaries of the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP) expressed gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after government agencies released a P14-million check to Wawang Pulo Homeowners’ Association Inc. (HOAI) Phase 1, marking a breakthrough in their long-running effort to secure land tenure.

The check, released on 9 January, covers payment to the landowner for land acquisition as well as grants to help defray documentary stamp tax expenses tied to the mortgage. The assistance was facilitated by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and its attached agency, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC).

The awarding ceremony was held inside the community itself and was led by DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa, and Wes Gatchalian.

For residents, the release of funds signaled the end of years of waiting and repeated attempts to formalize ownership of the land they have occupied since the 1990s. Beneficiaries described the assistance as proof of the government’s commitment to providing secure land tenure and dignified living conditions for families in informal settlements.

Several residents shared personal accounts of the struggle to remain in the community and the relief they felt upon learning that land acquisition had finally been approved, crediting the current administration for pushing the project forward after decades of delays.

Secretary Aliling said the release of funds reflects the administration’s emphasis on housing security as a pillar of inclusive growth, stressing that the DHSUD will continue to expand people-centered housing programs in line with the directive of President Marcos.

Valenzuela City Mayor Gatchalian welcomed the development, underscoring the role of local governments in supporting national housing initiatives and noting that the ECMP project represents tangible progress for urban poor communities in the city.

SHFC President and CEO Laxa, meanwhile, reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to sustaining the ECMP, which was launched in July 2025 as part of the expanded 4PH Program.

Wawang Pulo HOAI Phase 1 is composed of 242 member-beneficiaries and is among the first 36 ECMP projects approved nationwide. Collectively, these projects aim to provide security of tenure to more than 30,000 individuals, advancing the government’s goal of inclusive and dignified housing for Filipino families.