PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has broken ground on a trailblazing, high-rise mass housing project with 10,000 units combined in Camarines Sur that is the first such joint venture that the Administration has undertaken in partnership with a provincial local government unit (LGU), under its ambitious Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, according to Camarines Sur Rep. and National Unity Party (NUP) president LRay Villafuerte.

Villafuerte said the groundbreaking ceremony for the 12 residential towers each rising 25 floors high in Naga City highlighted Mr. Marcos’ day-long Camarines Sur visit last Thursday, which also included the launching of a Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlet, a visit to a coconut processing center, and the distribution of assorted government assistance to farmers and fisherfolk, small-scale entrepreneurs, flood victims and other local beneficiaries.

The President also visited another government housing project, also in Naga City.

The President led the handover of cash aid; livelihood grants and kits; loans for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs); fertilizer discount vouchers and farm machinery like rice transplanters and harvesters for farmers; and plastic boats for fisherfolk to over a thousand beneficiaries at the Kafuerte Sports Complex in the capital town of Pili, Villafuerte said.

“Of course … I am happy to be here, to be able to see na marami na yung ginagawa. It’s good to be able to come out and actually see for yourself,” the President told reporters after the Camarines Sur events. “I suppose that I can attribute that support that people are showing … the enthusiasm is because I hope that they can see na kung ano man ang pinangako namin noong kampanya talagang sinubukan namin ipatupad lahat ng aming sinasabi.”

Villafuerte noted that the 4PH housing project, once completed, will boast the tallest structure in Bicol at 25 storeys, higher than the current tallest building in the region which is 20 storeys high.

“This is the first province na nag ground break ng ganitong programa and according sa DHSUD (Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development), this launching will be the biggest to date with over 3,000 people witnessing this occasion, kaya Mr. President ulit maraming, maraming salamat po sa inyo,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte said the 4PH low-cost housing complex will not only provide homes to more than 10,000 families or over 50,000 people; it will also generate an estimated P6 billion- to P8 billion worth of local economic activity and create thousands of jobs.

President Marcos aims to close the housing gap, estimated at over 6 million homes, by building one million 4PH homes each year over his six-year term.

Alongside the 4PH and Kadiwa events, Mr. Marcos also visited the P230-million Sustainable Agriculture and Fishery Enterprises (SAFE) Innovation Hub, a coconut processing and marketing center in Pili’s Barangay San Jose for coconut products and by-products.

The Kadiwa store in Pili is the first such outlet put up in Bicol under the Marcos administration.

In his remarks at the 4PH groundbreaking rites, Villafuerte pointed out that: “There are 81 provinces in our country … pero pinili po ng mahal na Pangulo bisitahin po ang ating probinsya ngayong araw. Ito po ang pinaka unang probinsya na mag pipirma ng Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) under the pabahay program of our President.”

In his speech, Villafuerte stressed that the presidential activities in the province are “the latest proof that, true to your (President Marcos) promise during the 2022 presidential campaign and in your first SONA (State of the Nation Address) last July, you have started to deliver on your commitment to pursue national unity and improve the lives of our people.”

Villafuerte said the President’s decision “to visit and give priority to the province of one of the presidential contenders in last year’s balloting is solid proof of his desire to achieve national healing and unity on his watch. Ilang dekada na po tayo nag aaway-away, political discord, political divisiveness that have hurt our country’s growth and development. Tama na po ‘yan, magkaisa na po tayo.”