Marcos signs order declaring national housing a flagship program

PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order declaring the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH) a flagship program of his administration and directed all government agencies to come up with an inventory of suitable lands for the initiative.

Signed last July 17, EO 34 is in line with the government's goal of bridging the country's housing gap by providing accessible, quality, and affordable housing units for Filipinos.

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“The DHSUD (Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development), as the primary government entity responsible for the management of housing and human settlements in the country, shall be the lead implementing agency of the Program,” part of the circular read.

Marcos likewise directed all national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and other government entities to support and cooperate with the DHSUD to ensure the successful implementation of the 4PH program.

EO 34 also tasked the DHSUD to identify national and local government lands suitable for housing and human settlements in coordination with concerned NGAs and LGUs, and undertake the required activities for their development.

With regard to public lands, the DHSUD is mandated to recommend to the President, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the issuance of proclamations declaring public lands as alienable and disposable, for housing and human settlement purposes.

The EO also directs national government departments, agencies and instrumentalities, including GOCCs, as well as LGUs to conduct an inventory of the lands they own and administer, and submit the complete list to the DHSUD within 60 days from the issuance of the President's order.

“The inventory of lands shall include government-owned idle lands or lands that have not been used for the purposes for which they have been originally reserved or set aside for at least 10 years, and on which no improvements have been made by the owner as certified by the concerned LGU, pursuant to Section 8, Paragraph 2 of Republic Act 7279 (Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992), as amended, and Sections 5.II (d) and 24 of RA 11201 (the law that created the DHSUD),” the EO reads.

“The Land Registration Authority (LRA) shall assist these agencies in the preparation of their respective inventories by providing a list of titles and the corresponding certified true copies thereof that are registered in the name of said agencies,” it added.

The DHSUD will acquire ownership and administration of the identified lands of concerned agencies for housing and human settlement purposes and immediately carry out the development of those lands.

The funding requirements for the EO's implementation will come from the current available appropriations of concerned agencies, subject to pertinent budgeting, accounting, and auditing laws.

The funding requirement for the succeeding years of program implementation will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).