For years, Rhea Reyes dreamed of having a place her family could truly call its own.

Renting meant adjusting to landlords, living with uncertainty and putting off plans to make a house feel like home. That changed when she received the symbolic key to her family’s first house at Brentwood Residences in Capas, Tarlac.

“It’s different when you own your home. You can do what you want without having to adjust to others. It’s something to be proud of, and it’s affordable even if you earn a modest salary,” Reyes said.

For Rachel Orasan, a pharmacy assistant, homeownership had long seemed beyond reach.

“It’s a dream come true. I’m grateful because it’s within my budget, and my family finally has a place we can call our own,” she said.

Their stories reflect the aspirations of many working Filipinos who have struggled to save enough to buy a home while paying rent and meeting daily expenses.

Reyes and Orasan were among the latest beneficiaries of the government’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which recently turned over symbolic keys to new homeowners at Brentwood Residences.

The ceremony was led by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Pag-IBIG Fund as part of efforts to expand access to socialized housing for low-income workers.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the government plans to expand the housing program to more areas in partnership with the Pag-IBIG Fund, with the goal of providing more Filipino families with access to affordable homes.

According to developer Apec Homes, Brentwood Residences is expected to generate about 9,000 housing units.

The project qualifies for a subsidized 3-percent interest rate under the Expanded 4PH Program, making financing more affordable for low-income and minimum-wage earners. For Rachel Orasan, a pharmacy assistant, homeownership had long seemed beyond reach.

“It’s a dream come true. I’m grateful because it’s within my budget, and my family finally has a place we can call our own,” she said.

Their stories reflect the aspirations of many working Filipinos who have struggled to save enough to buy a home while paying rent and meeting daily expenses.

Reyes and Orasan were among the latest beneficiaries of the government’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which recently turned over symbolic keys to new homeowners at Brentwood Residences.

The ceremony was led by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Pag-IBIG Fund as part of efforts to expand access to socialized housing for low-income workers.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the government plans to expand the housing program to more areas in partnership with the Pag-IBIG Fund, with the goal of providing more Filipino families with access to affordable homes.

According to developer Apec Homes, Brentwood Residences is expected to generate about 9,000 housing units.

The project qualifies for a subsidized 3-percent interest rate under the Expanded 4PH Program, making financing more affordable for low-income and minimum-wage earners.