For three straight weeks, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has kept its slate of overdue regulatory applications at zero — a milestone officials say is helping clear the path for faster housing development across the country.

The achievement marks a key milestone under the department’s Zero Backlog Program (ZBP), one of the flagship initiatives of Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling’s 8-point agenda aimed at cutting red tape and making government services more responsive. At the heart of the program are Certificates of Registration and Licenses to Sell (CR-LS), permits that private developers must secure before they can legally build and market subdivision and condominium projects.

By accelerating the processing of these applications, DHSUD hopes to speed up the delivery of much-needed housing, particularly under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program (Expanded 4PH).

The turnaround followed an internal audit ordered by Aliling, which revealed that many pending applications were concentrated in the department’s regional offices. In response, senior officials were assigned to oversee specific regions, closely monitor operations, and remove bottlenecks that had slowed approvals.

The strategy paid off. DHSUD not only cleared all overdue applications but also managed to sustain a zero backlog for three consecutive weeks.

“The faster the process, the faster we can build more homes, especially under President Marcos’ Expanded 4PH,” Aliling said.

For the housing chief, the accomplishment is more than just a performance metric.

“This also means that our system is working efficiently and effectively. The goal of the Zero Backlog Program is not only to clear pending applications but to ensure that developers, investors, and the Filipino public can rely on a regulatory system that is timely, transparent, and responsive, as directed by the President,” he said.

Aliling said the DHSUD intends to sustain the gains by further digitalizing its processes, strengthening accountability, consulting stakeholders, and closely monitoring the performance of its offices.