Marcos’ 4PH Program to expand to grassroots level
THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday agreed to jointly pursue President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH)” Program deeper into the grassroot level.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) solidifying the collaboration of DHSUD and DILG.
Among the salient provisions of the MOU is the plan to build housing units for indigent barangay workers and informal settler families (ISF) under the “Pambansang Pabahay.”
The MOU signing will also pave the way for the conduct of preliminary activities for the execution of “Pambansang Pabahay” down to the barangay level.
The DHSUD and DILG agreement targets indigent barangay tanod, daycare teachers, response team workers, other qualified employees, whether permanent, contractual, or casual, and ISFs as buyer-beneficiaries of the affordable housing units.
Acuzar said the DILG can take the lead in intensifying the implementation of “Pambansang Pabahay” down to the communities – which is vital to the success of the flagship housing program.
“Sa tulong po ng DILG, we are finally bringing our program to the barangay level. Sa ilalim po ng pinirmahan nating MOU ay magtatayo po tayo ng pabahay para sa mga kapwa nating lingkod-bayan na nagtatrabaho sa barangay at iba pang qualified beneficiaries,” Acuzar explained.
The MOU tasked the DHSUD to assist the barangays in the preparation of the necessary documents and in securing the required permits and licenses issued by national government agencies.
Based on the agreement, the DILG shall assist the barangays in carrying out the beneficiary listing, which includes social preparation, ISF census enumeration, socio-economic profiling, and establishment of social parameters.
“As we bring the 4PH program down to our barangays, may our target beneficiaries be more motivated to better serve their constituencies,” Acuzar added.
For his part, Abalos vowed to provide assistance in capacitating LGU workers assigned to identify beneficiaries under this agreement and allocate land resources for the program.
“We all know that LGUs (local government units), most of them have the property [land resources]. They know kung anong property ang pwedeng mai-contribute nila and this is what we are harnessing today,” Abalos said.
