NHA to Oversee Construction of Housing Units, Says Acuzar

MANILA, Philippines - Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar announced on Wednesday that the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) will take charge of the construction services for the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program.

During a briefing in Malacañang, Acuzar explained that this initiative aims to cut costs associated with hiring developers and reduce the extent of sovereign guarantees. “Once a housing loan is approved, it will be processed through the SHFC and NHA, eliminating the need for developers. This approach is more economical as we will not incur developers' profits,” he stated.

He emphasized that this system benefits not only the housing beneficiaries but also the government, which will serve as both developer and contractor. “We will deal directly with the contractors, and that’s where we will seek the guarantees,” Acuzar added.

The SHFC and NHA will also handle in-house planning for smaller projects, focusing on creating standard designs, while private designers will be engaged for larger developments. 

Acuzar further elaborated, “The choice of designers will depend on the project size. For smaller projects, we will design in-house to ensure uniformity, with only the façade varying to avoid a monotonous appearance.”

“Our goal is to reduce costs to make housing affordable for the poor. If we can't lower expenses, the underprivileged will struggle to afford homes. There’s a significant gap in the real estate sector, making it difficult for the poor to keep up,” he noted.

Originally, the DHSUD aimed to construct 6 million housing units by 2028, but now it anticipates completing only 1.2 million by the end of the Marcos administration. However, the sovereign guarantee could potentially expand to P4 trillion if the agency manages to deliver an additional 3.2 million units within the next four years.

A sovereign guarantee refers to the government's commitment to release funds for low-cost housing loans, encouraging private banks and institutions to participate. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently approved this scheme, and Acuzar expressed optimism that it would significantly impact efforts to combat homelessness in the country.

“This guarantee is a testament to our President's dedication to improving the lives of Filipinos by providing decent and affordable housing through a whole-of-nation approach,” he concluded.

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