CABUYAO CITY, Laguna — A total of 271 families from a community in Barangay Pulo, Cabuyao City received more than P18.7 million in housing assistance from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) to support the acquisition of the land where their homes currently stand.

The assistance was formally awarded to Don Vicente Villas Homeowners’ Association Phase 8 through a ceremonial check turnover led by DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and SHFC president and CEO Federico Laxa on 10 March. This will allow the beneficiaries to begin the process of securing legal ownership of the property under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP).

Continued efforts to provide Filipinos with affordable housing

The ECMP forms part of SHFC’s continuing efforts under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program to provide secure, decent, and affordable housing for Filipino families.

In his message, Laxa expressed his gratitude to President Marcos for his trust in SHFC to carry out housing programs that directly benefit poor and low-income families, including the ECMP.

Secretary Aliling instructed us to take care of this program which extends help to-our countrymen in being able to secure affordable housing. We are happy to have taken part in this move towards a good future for your family.

Collective purchase of land

With the funding support, members of Don Vicente Villas HOA Phase 8 will be able to collectively purchase the land they occupy, protecting them from the risk of eviction and ensuring long-term security for their families.

The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the national government, DHSUD and SHFC for helping make their dream of land ownership possible. Many residents shared that the assistance brings them peace of mind, knowing that they will no longer have to worry about being displaced and that the land where their homes stand will soon legally belong to them.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami kay President Bongbong Marcos kasi nagpatuloy po ang project na ito at sa SHFC dahil hindi po kami pinabayaan,” said HOA president Marissa Tuana. “Dahil sa kanila, natake-out po ang aming loan sa ECMP. (We thank President Bongbong Marcos for not abandoning us, for continuing this SHFC project. Through the SHFC, we were able to take out our ECMP loan.)

7,000 families benefited

A total of 41 ECMP projects across the country have been approved by SHFC since the program was launched in July last year, benefiting more than 7,000 families. The agency continues to receive loan applications from organized communities hoping to achieve their dreams of landownership.