The Commission on Appointments has officially confirmed Jose Ramon Aliling as Secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Wednesday.
In his confirmation hearing, Aliling laid out an expanded vision for the national housing roadmap, citing new components under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.
Once limited to vertical housing, 4PH now includes horizontal development, rental schemes, and rehousing initiatives to reach a broader range of beneficiaries.
“We expanded the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino program or 4PH which used to only have one modality which is vertical development. So now, we include horizontal development, rehousing and rental schemes,” Aliling said during his opening statement.
Aliling thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the opportunity to serve and pledged to promote “safe, resilient, and sustainable communities,” especially for vulnerable sectors.
He underscored a commitment to inclusivity in DHSUD’s programs, pointing to revived housing finance initiatives and the relaunch of the community mortgage program, which aims to assist informal settler families and low-income earners.
“Our key shelter agencies have also been tasked with focusing on the most vulnerable sectors, relaunching the community mortgage program or CMP and scaling up housing finance programs to reach more beneficiaries,” he said.
To improve the delivery of housing services, Aliling said DHSUD will accelerate digitalization and establish one-stop shops across the country to streamline permitting and regulatory processes. He also ordered stricter enforcement of building standards in subdivisions and condominiums.
Climate resilience remains high on the agenda, with Aliling vowing tighter compliance in the approval of socialized and economic housing sites. He said DHSUD will ensure new housing projects are flood-resilient and better situated to withstand natural hazards.
"That (flood-resilient housing) is included in our initial study on where we will give approval and where we will set up housing projects," he said.
Aliling expressed confidence that more Filipinos – particularly those in the poorest income brackets – will soon realize their dream of homeownership under the Marcos administration’s expanded housing plan.
"Under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program, more Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor and those in the lower income bracket, will realize their dreams of having a decent house of their own," he said.
His confirmation further consolidates the administration’s thrust for a “Bagong Pilipinas” anchored on inclusive development and improved quality of life for all Filipinos.