Construction is underway for a major in-city housing project in Manila under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which is expected to provide homes for more than 6,000 residents.
The Port Town Housing Project, spearheaded by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), is being built in the Port Area through a joint venture agreement between two key shelter agencies — the Pag-IBIG Fund and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC).
Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the collaboration among government housing agencies aims to accelerate the rollout of the Expanded 4PH Program.
"Ang pagsasanib-pwersa ng ating mga KSAs sa pamamagitan ng JVAs ay para pabilisin at paghusayin pa ang Expanded 4PH Program alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.," Secretary Aliling said.
Aliling, together with Senior Undersecretary Eduardo Robles Jr., Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Marilene Acosta, and SHFC president Federico Laxa, inspected the condominium-type housing project on Tuesday to assess its progress.
Five buildings are currently in various stages of construction.
The project’s first phase consists of five buildings that will generate 2,150 housing units, benefiting more than 6,000 Manileños, particularly informal settler families under the Expanded 4PH Program.
Aliling said the inspection was conducted to ensure the timely completion of the project and the quality of construction in line with President Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide dignified housing for beneficiaries.
"Layunin ng inspeksyong ito na tiyakin ang completion timelines at mataas na kalidad nang pag-construct. Mahigpit naming sinuri ang bawat gusali at agad tinukoy ang mga isyung maaaring magdulot ng delay," the DHSUD chief said.
As part of efforts to expand housing options under the 4PH Program, Aliling introduced new modalities, including allowing Pag-IBIG Fund to enter joint venture agreements with other government institutions such as SHFC.
The housing chief said additional joint venture housing projects are being prepared with Pag-IBIG Fund, SHFC and the National Housing Authority (NHA).
"Para mas mapabilis at mapaghusay pa ang implementasyon ng Expanded 4PH, patuloy po ang DHSUD kasama ang aming mga attached agencies sa pag-aaral sa iba pang pwedeng modality para mas maraming pamilyang Pilipino ang ating matulungan makamit ang pinapangarap na sariling tahanan," Secretary Aliling said.
He emphasized that the government aims to accelerate housing construction while maintaining quality standards.
"Alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., pinaiigting natin ang pagpapatupad ng mga proyektong pabahay upang mas mapabilis ang kanilang pagkumpleto. Ngunit kasabay nito, malinaw din na hindi dapat masakripisyo ang kalidad ng bawat yunit. Pinagsasabay natin ang bilis habang mahigpit na sinisiguro ang pagsunod nito sa ating mga pamantayan sa konstruksyon,” he added.