The administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is moving to provide safe and affordable housing for Filipino students through Project BALAY (Building Access to Learning for Students), an initiative aimed at supporting learners in higher education institutions.

In a Palace press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro announced that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Pag-IBIG Fund signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on 23 January, paving the way for the program’s implementation.

Project BALAY seeks to offer affordable housing not only to students but also to faculty members and non-teaching personnel in state universities and colleges.

“The program aims to address non-academic barriers such as the lack of safe and accessible student housing,” Castro said in Filipino. 

Castro stressed the initiative aligns with Marcos’ directive to ease the financial and logistical burden on students and their families while ensuring learners have the support they need to complete their studies.

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis emphasized that access to secure student housing plays a significant role in improving academic performance and increasing completion rates.

Under the agreement, CHED and the Pag-IBIG Fund will collaborate on student-oriented housing solutions and other programs that promote inclusive and accessible education.

“Safe, decent, and accessible housing for our students is just one step by the government to strengthen the education sector for a more prosperous New Philippines,” Castro added.