DHSUD highlights housing program progress in Caraga
By Remil Vincent E. Lagumbay
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — To address the housing backlogs in the country, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Caraga, emphasized the on-going implementation of its flagship program on “Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino” also known as the 4PH in the region on their recent appearance at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas in collaboration with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga.
Through the Executive Order No. 34
signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in July 2023, the program was aimed
to enhance affordable housing access for Filipino citizens who are challenged to
benefit from government housing initiatives.
Cristie Y. Reyes, regional director
of DHSUD Caraga, revealed that more than 200,000 families in Caraga region do
not have their own houses to live in, many of these families are living in
rented accommodations or staying with relatives, while some are hazardly
located in danger zones such as waterways and landslide prone areas making
their families vulnerable to disasters.
Dir. Reyes detailed that the 4PH
program addresses the critical housing needs in the region by introducing
affordable, decent and resilient vertical housing (condo type) units,
designed to be accessible for families struggling with home ownership through a
5 percent interest subsidy provided by the government.
Since the program’s ground-breaking
on August 8, 2024 in Dapa, Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte, 1000 families
had already benefited from the project.
Reyes disclosed that seven local
government units (LGUs) committed their participation to the program by signing
a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with DHSUD. She also added that 9 LGUs were
also on schedule for MOU signing namely the municipalities of Rosario, San
Francisco, Talacogon, and Trento, from the province of Agusan del Sur;
municipality of Nasipit from Agusan del Norte; municipalities of Cagdianao and
Dinagat, from the province of Dinagat Islands; municipality of Cantilan from
Surigao del Sur; and municipality of Tubod of Surigao del Norte.
When questioned
about the decision to utilize vertical housing units under the 4PH program,
despite the region's numerous vacant lots, Reyes clarified that the
availability of land suitable for residential use has become scarce which drove
prices upward.
In addition,
she shared that the vertical housing is efficient because it allows them to
build more housing units within a small land area which preserves agricultural
lands from being converted into residential subdivisions.
"The 4PH
is not just another building, DHSUD is advocating for township. That's why the
choice of project sites are crucial, it should be within town centers that are
walking distance to schools, government facilities, and job
establishments," she said.
DHSUD Caraga emphasized the pivotal role of the local government units in the full implementation of the said housing program that will address the housing backlog in Caraga region by year 2028. (RVEL, PIA-Caraga)
