Three local communities gained security of tenure through the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, a national housing initiative under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s expanded shelter framework.

Social Housing Finance Corporation president and chief executive officer Federico Laxa and Mayor Leni Robredo awarded checks totaling P65.8 million to the Mabolo Village Homeowners Association Phases 1 and 2 and the Saint Joseph Homeowners Association during an 18 August ceremony in Barangay Pacol.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Assistant Secretary Johnson Domingo represented Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling at the event.

A total of 420 families will benefit from the funding, which served as a centerpiece event for Jesse Robredo Day, a special working holiday in Naga honoring the legacy of the late interior secretary and city mayor.

The recent distribution brings the total number of program beneficiaries in Naga City to more than 800 families, with combined loan assistance reaching approximately P92 million.

The housing corporation previously awarded checks to two other local partner communities in June.

“Starting today, our countrymen can sleep soundly,” Laxa said. “They will have peace of mind and will no longer worry about being evicted from their land.”

Mayor Robredo thanked housing officials for their continued support, describing the community mortgage framework as life-changing because it allows residents to secure ownership without leaving their established neighborhoods.

Homeowners association leaders expressed gratitude for the assistance, with Saint Joseph association president Nilo Villaflor noting that his community faced imminent eviction prior to joining the program.

Launched last year as an updated, streamlined version of the nation’s 38-year-old Community Mortgage Program, the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program aims to make land acquisition and shelter financing more accessible for low-income communities.

To date, the agency has approved 47 projects nationwide, benefiting more than 8,000 families.