The revival of land distribution under various Presidential Proclamations has ended the decades-long wait of 684 Filipino families for security of tenure under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (Expanded 4PH) Program, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) announced.

As part of the broadened scope of the Expanded 4PH Program, DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling revived the distribution of Certificates of Lot Award (CELA) and Certificates of Entitlement (COE) for residential lands covered by Presidential Proclamations.

The initial beneficiaries came from residential communities in Los Baños, Laguna; Lucena City, Quezon; Narra, Palawan; and Jaro, Iloilo City, covered by Presidential Proclamation Nos. 550, 436, 574, and 1538, respectively.

Aliling said the integration of Presidential Proclamations into the Expanded 4PH Program follows President Marcos' directive to broaden government housing initiatives and resolve long-standing concerns of informal settler families.

"Sa ilalim ng Expanded 4PH, hindi lamang tayo nagtatayo ng mga bagong pabahay. Binibigyan din natin ng katiyakan ang mga pamilyang matagal nang naghihintay na maging ganap na may-ari ng lupang kanilang tinitirhan," Aliling said.

He added that the government continues to accelerate the issuance of land tenure documents to provide more Filipino families with secure and dignified housing.

From 2019 to 2022, only 24 beneficiaries received CELAs or COEs due to implementation challenges, including pandemic-related disruptions and shifting program priorities.

Since the expansion of the 4PH Program under Aliling, DHSUD has accelerated the processing of land tenure documents, enabling 684 beneficiaries to receive their certificates in less than a year.

The beneficiaries include 218 families in Los Baños, 195 in Lucena City, 213 in Jaro, and 58 in Narra.

Most had waited for decades before finally receiving documentary proof of their right to occupy and eventually own the land on which they had long built their homes.

DHSUD said more Presidential Proclamations are now being processed under the Expanded 4PH Program, with additional awarding ceremonies expected in the coming months as part of the nationwide rollout.