House backs Marcos housing, water and power projects

House leaders on Wednesday expressed their intent to support and strengthen the programs of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., particularly his housing, water, and electricity initiatives.

This came as the current administration moved to upgrade irrigation systems, bring more families into safe and secure homes, and expand power subsidies for low-income households.

Under the leadership of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III and House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos of Ilocos Norte, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms Chairman Zia Alonto Adiong of Lanao del Sur and Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega V of La Union and Jay Khonghun of Zambales — the “Young Guns” — said the House will match the administration’s on-the-ground initiatives with measures that sustain affordability and widen access, including Majority Leader Marcos’ House Bill (HB) No. 2700 seeking free electricity for qualified low-consumption households through a direct government subsidy.

“Ang pabahay, kuryente at tubig ay napakahalaga — ito ang pundasyon ng disenteng pamumuhay at matatag na ekonomiya. Bilang mga lider ng Kamara, sinusuportahan namin si Pangulong Marcos sa mga programang lumilikha ng trabaho, nagpapababa sa gastos ng pamilya, at nagpapalakas ng probinsya. Kasabay nito, titiyakin naming bawat piso ay napupunta sa tama at may malinaw na pananagutan,” Adiong, Ortega, and Khonghun, stalwarts of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD), said in a joint statement.

The three solons said the House will ensure that its legislative agenda supports and strengthens the programs of President Marcos, particularly his housing, water, and electricity initiatives for the Filipino people.

“Housing, water security and affordable electricity are nation-building priorities. The House will make sure our legislative output strengthens these programs and protects their long-term impact,” according to them.

“Through the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) of LEDAC (Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council), we synchronize reforms, remove policy bottlenecks, and pass measures that give lasting support to the administration’s projects,” they added.

The three House leaders said they are backing House Bill (HB) No. 2700, or the proposed “Free Electricity for Low-Consumption Households Act,” authored by Majority Leader Marcos, noting that it aligns with the President’s programs.

The measure seeks to institutionalize a Direct Government Subsidy that will fully cover the electricity bills of qualified households within a defined monthly threshold, while exempting the subsidized portion from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT).

It also seeks to dismantle the existing cross-subsidy system and replace it with a direct government subsidy aimed at making power more affordable and equitable nationwide.

For Adiong, Ortega, and Khonghun, the approach ties together the administration’s programs on housing, irrigation, and power: deliver services on the ground, then sustain and broaden them through legislation, with clear accountability for every peso spent.

Water investments carry a direct impact on food security and everyday living, Adiong said.

“Kung may sapat na tubig ang bukid, mas abot-kaya ang pagkain sa hapag ng bawat Pilipino,” Adiong said, referring to President Marcos’ inauguration of the rehabilitated Mahayag Dam in Zamboanga del Sur and the turnover of solar-powered pump irrigation projects (SPIPs) across the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX).

Ortega said housing must be treated as an economic engine that also restores dignity to families.

“Ang pabahay ay hindi gastos — ito ay investment sa trabaho, sa ekonomiya, at sa dignidad ng bawat pamilya,” Ortega said after President Marcos led the awarding of homes and assistance to beneficiaries of the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para Sa Pilipino (4PH) Program during the seventh anniversary celebration of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development at the Megawide Precast Plant in Taytay, Rizal.

Khonghun said the direction is clear: power policy must translate into reliable electricity that families and businesses can afford.

“Walang industrialization kung walang maaasahang kuryente,” Khonghun said after President Marcos announced in Pasig City reforms meant to make electricity subsidies easier to access for low-income and marginalized families, while streamlining net-metering so households can install solar panels and sell excess power to the grid faster than before.

The President made the statement during the “Collective Response to Presidential Commitments in the Energy Sector” held at the Meralco Theater in Ortigas.

As of November 2025, only around 334,000 consumers are registered under the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program (LRSP), which is about 11 percent of the roughly three million beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), he said, attributing the gap to complicated requirements.

With its long-awaited operationalization, the President said the upgraded Mahayag Dam will provide efficient water diversion, improve irrigation reliability and agricultural productivity, and enhance flood control and safety for homes and livelihoods in the province.

The Mahayag Dam, located in the municipality of Mahayag, is a major diversion structure for the Salug River Irrigation System in Zamboanga del Sur, the largest irrigation system in the Zamboanga Peninsula. The dam was reconstructed after it sustained severe damage a few years ago due to flooding, affecting residents in Mahayag, Molave, Ramon Magsaysay, and Sominot.

More than 3,100 farmers and their families stand to benefit from the dam, which regulates the flow of water in the Salug River and supplies irrigation to nearby rice fields.

Mr. Marcos also led the turnover of 20 SPIPs to 635 farmers in the region, saying the systems will boost local irrigation using alternative energy that is clean and affordable.

He said irrigators’ associations will manage the distribution and cleaning of the water, while the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) will assist in maintaining the specialized solar panels and pump systems.

The Chief Executive also led the turnover of symbolic keys for vertical and horizontal housing units, awarded Certificates of Lot Award and financial assistance for land and site development under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, and granted Certificates of Entitlement to beneficiaries of longstanding Presidential Proclamations that finally gave them security of tenure after decades of waiting.