Marcos ensures affordable monthly amortizations of housing projects

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Monday guaranteed that the monthly amortizations of his administration's housing projects would not be a burden to beneficiaries.

"Ang proyektong ito at iba pang mga pabahay ng 4PH ay para sa mga minimum wage earners, ang ating mga informal settlers, mga nakatira sa mga danger zone, at sa mga kababayan nating naghahangad ng mura, simple, at komportableng bahay," Marcos said at the groundbreaking ceremony for Cebu City's 4PH Project.

(This project and other housing projects of 4PH are for minimum wage earners, informal settlers, those residing in danger zones, and for our countrymen who wish to have affordable, simple and comfortable houses.)  

"Sisiguruhin natin na mananatiling abot-kaya ang buwanang hulog at bayad para sa mga bahay na ito kaya patuloy po ang ating pakikipag-ugnayan sa Kongreso upang maging matagumpay ang programang ito," he added.

(We will ensure that the monthly amortizations will be affordable for beneficiaries that's why we continue to coordinate with Congress for the success of this program.)

Dubbed as Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program, the Marcos administration's flagship housing program aims to address the country’s housing gap by building one million houses per year for the next six years.

Earlier, Marcos called on Congress to include a provision of having an interest subsidy support for housing projects in the national budget for the succeeding years.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar earlier said the monthly amortization could be lessened through the help of an interest subsidy. Instead of P8,000, he said a family could pay P3,500 to P4,000 if there is an interest subsidy.

Marcos further reiterated his call for the DHSUD to address the housing gap in the country.

"Kaya naman ulit kong hinahamon ang DHSUD na manatili kayong matatag upang matupad ang ating pangakong mura at maayos na pabahay para sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan," he said.

(I continue to challenge the DHSUD to remain steadfast in order to achieve our goal of providing affordable and comfortable houses to our kababayans who are in need.)

Meanwhile, Marcos also encouraged housing beneficiaries to take care of their residences once they are finished and turned over to them.

"Sa panahon na matapos ang inyong mga bahay, sana naman po ay pangalagaan ninyo ito at panatilihing malinis at maayos ang inyong pamamahay at kapaligiran," he said.

(Once your homes are done, I hope you take care of them and maintain their cleanliness and orderliness.)

In a separate interview with reporters, Marcos underscored that the only solution in addressing the rising number of informal settlers is to build houses for them.

"The only solution to informal settlers is housing. There is really no other way to solve that problem. Kasi kahit anong gawin mo, kung walang tirahan ang tao, magiging informal settler siya (If the person has no residence, he/she will be an informal settler)," said Marcos.

"Ang projection na pag natapos lahat ang grinoundbreak natin sa housing, sa ngayon that is potentially 600,000 units kasi hindi na bahay at lupa kundi high-rise or mid-rise buildings na (The projection is that if all that we have groundbreak were finished, that's potentially 600,000 units of high-rise or mid-rise buildings)," he added.

The President said they would exert all efforts to attain the one million houses per year to reach six million by the end of his term.

"Basta gagawin namin lahat para maabot 'yan, kung di tayo makaabot this year, ipapaspas natin 'yung next year para average natin 1M a year," Marcos said.

(We will do everything to reach that target, if we don't reach this year's goal, we will expedite the next year so we will still reach the average of 1 million a year.)

The housing project in Barangay Basak San Nicolas is part of the Cebu City South Coastal Urban Development Housing Project.

The first phase of the project is being eyed to benefit around 8,000 informal settlers and low wage earners in the city.

Aside from the housing units, Marcos said the government would also build other infrastructures in the area such as schools, markets, health centers and other business establishments to sustain the community.

After the groundbreaking ceremony, Marcos also distributed assistance to beneficiaries in Mandaue City.

These include vouchers worth P8,000 each from the Department of Trade and Industry, financial aid worth P5,000 and family packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

There were only seeds from the Department of Agriculture. —KG/NB, GMA Integrated News