The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program is making housing more accessible through lower interest rates and more flexible options for beneficiaries.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the expanded program allows Filipinos to choose housing arrangements based on their financial capacity, including homeownership, rental housing, and incremental development. “Malinaw po ang direktiba ng ating Pangulong Marcos Jr.-dapat abot-kaya ang pabahay para sa bawat Pilipino. Kaya pinalawak natin ang 4PH hindi lamang sa dami ng proyekto kundi sa mga opsyon na maaaring pagpilian ng ating mga kababayan,” he said.

Under the program, qualified beneficiaries may avail of socialized housing through the Pag-IBIG Fund at interest rates as low as 3 percent per year for up to 10 years. More than 10,000 families have already accessed the subsidized rate, which DHSUD said significantly reduces monthly amortizations.

The agency said rental housing has also been introduced as a key option for families not yet ready for homeownership, particularly informal settler families and low-income earners. Projects are underway in areas such as Quezon City and Los Baños to provide safe and immediate shelter.

DHSUD, through the Social Housing Finance Corporation, is also advancing incremental housing and the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, allowing families to secure land tenure and gradually build their homes.

“Hindi po iisa ang solusyon sa pabahay. May mga kababayan tayong kayang magbayad ng amortization, meron ding mas nangangailangan ng rental o unti-unting pagpapatayo ng bahay. Kaya ginawa nating flexible ang Expanded 4PH,” Aliling said.

The program covers a wide range of beneficiaries, from working- and middle-class families to those in the informal sector, as part of efforts to provide affordable and inclusive housing options nationwide.