Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has begun ground preparations for a housing project along NIA Road in Quezon City, barely a month after a fire displaced thousands of residents in the area.

The project will be implemented under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, aimed at providing shelter to families affected by the March 7 blaze.

Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, together with Senior Undersecretary Eduardo Robles Jr. and National Housing Authority General Manager Joeben Tai, inspected the site on Monday to ensure that initial works are on schedule.

Aliling said the project forms part of the agency’s urban renewal efforts, in partnership with the National Housing Authority and the Quezon City local government, to transform informal settlements into safer and more sustainable communities.

“Malinaw po ang direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.—walang madi-displace kapag may mga sakuna. Kaya naman aksyon agad ang DHSUD kasama ang NHA at Quezon City government para sa pagtatayo ng proyektong pabahay dito sa NIA Road sa ilalim ng Expanded 4PH Program,” Aliling said.

“Kasama po sa mandato ng DHSUD ang urban development, at itong NIA Road project ay magsisilbing model ng aming urban renewal efforts,” he added.

More than 2,000 families were displaced after the fire hit an informal settlement in the area. Two days after the incident, Aliling and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte visited the site and agreed to pursue the housing project under the expanded 4PH program.

Initial housing assistance has already been extended to affected residents.

The DHSUD and the Quezon City government are also considering a rental housing scheme for the NIA Road project to help ensure long-term sustainability.