The Manila Times
THE expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program continues to make homeownership more affordable and accessible to Filipino families through low interest rates and a wider range of housing options, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said on Sunday. DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the expanded 4PH goes beyond traditional housing approaches by ensuring beneficiaries are matched with programs that suit their financial capability — whether through homeownership, rental housing, or incremental development. Under the national housing program, he said that qualified beneficiaries, particularly the working class, may avail of socialized housing through the Pag-IBIG Fund at a subsidized interest rate of as low as three percent per annum for up to 10 years, the lowest in the market today. “This translates to significantly reduced monthly amortizations. Currently, more than 10,000 families have already availed of this option," the housing czar said. Recognizing that not all families are ready for homeownership, the DHSUD has also introduced rental housing as a key modality under 4PH. This option provides immediate, safe, and decent shelter for families, particularly informal settler families (ISFs) and low-income earners, without the burden of long-term financial commitment. The DHSUD said several rental housing projects are underway, including developments in UP Diliman, Quezon City, Los Baños, Laguna, and other pilot areas nationwide, to assist families living in danger zones and high-risk communities. At the same time, the department, through the Social Housing Finance Corporation, is advancing an incremental housing strategy and the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, allowing beneficiaries to acquire land and gradually improve their homes based on their financial capacity, according to the DHSUD chief. Through this phased approach, families are empowered to secure tenure first, then upgrade their housing structures over time, making the process more sustainable and financially manageable, he explained. Aliling said 4PH now covers a wide spectrum of beneficiaries — from the working and middle class to informal-sector families — through modalities such as vertical and horizontal housing, rental housing, ECMP, incremental housing, and housing under Presidential Proclamations. “With sustained reforms and expanded strategies, DHSUD remains committed to making housing more inclusive, affordable, and responsive to the diverse needs of Filipino communities, ensuring that no one is left behind in the pursuit of a dignified life,” he added.
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