Metro Manila, Philippines – With just two years in the Marcos administration, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said only about 400,000 housing units have been completed out of the 1.1-million revised target.
In a briefing on Monday, Jan, 12, Housing Senior Undersecretary Henry Yap said the original 6.5-million housing target at the beginning of the administration covered both the actual housing backlog and projected future needs, including homes that may be damaged by disasters.
“In reality, one third of that are houses that are okay but could be affected over time,” Yap said, noting that the target “over-estimated” actual demand.
He said the more realistic need is around “three point something million” units.
The administration earlier cut by half its housing goal from 6.5 million to 3.2 million units to be constructed until 2028, citing budget constraints, construction costs, and historical performance.
Yap cited DHSUD data showing that previous administrations delivered fewer than one million units over a full term, with about 700,000 under Benigno Aquino III and around 800,000 under Rodrigo Duterte.
He said housing production is expected to pick up through indirect delivery modes, particularly Pag-IBIG Fund loans, after interest rates were lowered from 6.25 percent to 3 percent, with a possible subsidy bringing rates down to 1 percent.
The official said the government also adjusted price ceilings to address rising construction costs and shift away from expensive vertical housing toward more affordable house-and-lot options.
