Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 13) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s promise to build and turn over one million low-cost housing units annually could be realized by 2025 and the initial salvo of the turnover could happen next year, Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Acuzar told CNN Philippines on Thursday.
Acuzar said the government’s program will build vertical housing projects that will be mainly in-city development to provide beneficiaries easier access to work, school, and other services. But no project has been completed yet during the first year of the administration, he said.
The Marcos administration earlier vowed, through its flagship housing project Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program, to provide 6 million low-cost homes for Filipinos who are homeless or minimum wage earners. The project aims to build one million units yearly to solve the country’s 6.5 million housing backlog.
READ: 1.2 million housing units began construction since assuming office – Marcos
Acuzar said he hopes to turn over by next year a total of 100,000 housing units in Bulacan, Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bicol, Cebu, and Zamboanga.
“Walang made-deliver pero may naumpisahan na [Nothing will be delivered yet but we have already started projects],” he said in an interview on The Source, recalling that the chief executive inspected earlier this month a government housing project in San Fernando, Pampanga.
“Kasi building ‘yan eh,” he added. “Ang paggawa ng building it takes about a year and a half to two years. Hindi ko naman puwedeng madaliin kasi mawawala ‘yong integrity ng building, siyempre kailangan matibay.”
[Translation: The projects will be buildings. The construction of buildings takes about a year and a half to two years. I cannot rush it because the building may lose its integrity, it needs to be strong.]
Acuzar, who is a contractor and developer, said there are also other considerations such as the weather as storms and heavy rains may delay the completion of the construction projects.
“Do’n sa pacing na hinahanap namin — at wala sanang other problems na dumating sa pagpapatayo ng building — kakayanin. Kunwari, wag lang bumagyo nang dire-diretso, eh di dire-diretso ‘yong pagtayo ng building,” he also said.
[Translation: In the pacing that we want — hoping that we will face no other problems — it’s feasible. For example, if there are no storms that come one after the other, then we can finish multiple projects.]
Acuzar said the department’s efforts should be “synchronized” to achieve the six million units built by 2028, adding the target is “doable” as the government’s housing program utilizes funds from private developers. Congress only allocated around ₱3 billion to his department for its 2023 budget.
“Pag ‘yan ang ginamit ko wala akong magagawa. Maghihintay ako ng government funds, last year magkano binigay ng Congress sa amin ₱3 billion tapos gagawa ka ng backlog mo na 6.5 [million units]. Saan ka makakarating?” he said.
