The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) is set to receive its first major housing development in 45 years after government officials formally broke ground on a new rental housing project aimed at low-income employees, students, and nearby informal settler families.

The project, located in Bay, Laguna, forms part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program and is expected to initially accommodate around 1,000 beneficiaries within the UP Los Baños community.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and UP President Angelo Jimenez led Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony, marking what officials described as a significant step in addressing long-standing housing needs inside state university campuses.

“In line with the directive of President Marcos Jr., the Expanded 4PH Program continues to expand so that more Filipinos can receive decent, safe, and affordable housing,” Aliling said.

“This rental housing project aims to provide a more dignified way of living for Filipinos who are most in need,” he added.

The housing initiative revives large-scale shelter development within the campus for the first time since a project implemented during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in the 1980s.

Jimenez said access to decent housing plays a critical role in improving welfare conditions for students, faculty members, employees, and campus residents, adding that the university must take a more active role in addressing such concerns.

He described the partnership between DHSUD and UP as part of a broader effort to pursue a more transformative and inclusive agenda for the university community.

UPLB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. highlighted the speed of the project’s rollout, noting that the agreement with DHSUD was finalized within just two months.

Officials said the development also reflects the government’s broader push to expand affordable housing access through interagency partnerships.

Apart from the Los Baños project, DHSUD has also signed a similar agreement for a housing initiative within the UP Diliman campus.

“The directive of President Marcos Jr. is clear — government services must be brought closer to the people. That is why DHSUD continues to coordinate with different government agencies so we can extend assistance to more Filipinos,” Aliling said.