THE Build, Better More (BBM) programs of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in the socialized housing sector have improved significantly, now featuring amenities that only upper income class usually enjoy, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez said on Tuesday.

“Masaya ako dahil hindi lang pala tirahan ng pamilyang Pilipino ang itinayo natin dito. May basketball court, swimming pool, clubhouse at iba pang amenities na dati’ymakikita lang sa mga subdivision at condominium,” Speaker Romualdez remarked after House Committee on Appropriations chairman Zaldy Co, who is responsible for ensuring funding for the housing projects of the Marcos administration, introduced him.

“Ito ang pangarap ng ating Pangulo: Ang mabigyan ng disenteng tirahan ang mga Pilipino. Ang mabigyan sila ng karapatang mamuhay nang may dignidad. Ang manirahan kayong lahat sa isang komunidad na payapa at ligtas,” he said.

In his speech at the site visit of Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) in San Mateo, Rizal Housing Project, the leader of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives divulged that there are 170,000 housing units being built in Metro Manila alone, and distributed among 55 locations.

This is on top of the thousands of housing units being undertaken in Luzon, Visayas all the way to Mindanao, which includes the 20 ongoing projects currently in “various stages of construction and development,” according to Secretary Jerry Acuzar of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

“This is the dream of our dear President: To provide housing for all Filipinos, to give them the dignity they deserve, for them to live a peaceful life in their chosen community where they have a decent livelihood and where everybody is safe from harm,” the Speaker said.

“Isa lamang ito sa napakaraming housing projects na ipinapatayo ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. sa buong bansa. Malinaw po ang utos ng Pangulo: Tiyakin na may sapat na pondo ang lahat ng proyekto at programang inilaan niya para sa ikabubuti ng mga Pilipino,” the Speaker said.

Speaker Romualdez said the national government remains on track with their original target of building one million housing units every year until President Marcos’ six-year term in 2028 ends, so as to fill the housing gap, or the 6.5 million backlog in housing units.

“Ang kagandahan sa proyektong ito, ‘in-city resettlement’ ang ating ginagawa. Ibig sabihin, kung saang siyudad ka dati nakatira, doon ka rin hahanapan ng malilipatang bahay. Hindi natin inilalayo ang pamilya sa kanilang komunidad. Malapit pa rin sila sa kanilang trabaho at paaralan,” Speaker Romualdez, congressman of Leyte’s first district, said.

At the same time, the Speaker made assurances that Congress – having the power of the purse – will always make sure funds will be available to DHSUD’s projects, even if government financing institutions like Pag-ibig had pledged P250 billion for the BBM socialized housing programs.

“Asahan niyo na hindi lamang Legacy Housing ang ihahatid sa inyo ng administrasyong Marcos. Nagpapahanap din siya ng pondo sa Kongreso para magtayo ng world-class Legacy Hospitals tulad ng Philippine Cancer Center sa Quezon City at Regional Specialty Hospitals sa mga pangunahing siyudad sa Pilipinas. Ang pangarap nating lahat, maipaabot ang serbisyo ng Heart Center, Lung Center, Kidney Center at Cancer Center sa bawat sulok ng bansa,” he said.

“Para sa seguridad sa pagkain, meron din tayong tinatawag na Legacy Food Security program upang tulungan ang mga mga magsasaka na mapalaki ang kanilang ani. Itutuloy din natin ang mga programa para bigyan ng ayuda ang mga nangangailangan.

Hindi po titigil ang Kongreso sa paglalaan ng pondo at paggawa ng mga batas. Gagawin natin ito para matupad ang pangarap ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. – ang mabigyan ng masaganang bukas ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino sa isang ligtas at payapang bansa,” Speaker Romualdez added.

As of May this year, Acuzar said Pag-ibig had already released about P761.5 million to private contractors who are now constructing the four 4PH programs in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, even as state-run banks like Land Bank and state pension funds GSIS and SSS made similar assurances.