The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Friday broke ground for a new housing project in Barangay Nangka, Marikina City, the sixth of such ceremonies held in just two weeks under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program.
The project forms part of the 100 days accomplishments of the Marcos administration in the housing sector, according to DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar.
The country’s need for at least 6.5 million homes is “definitely possible” under the national housing program, a brainchild of the President, he noted.
DHSUD is eyeing to build and dispense one million housing units every year or six million housing units within the six-year term of the Marcos administration.
“This will not be easy, but definitely possible, as we are already making significant strides in making this happen. This memorandum of understanding signing and groundbreaking ceremony for a land development and housing project is a concrete manifestation of that,” he said.
Acuzar and Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro signed the agreement.
Since the pilot of the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program on Sept. 22, DHSUD has already signed MoUs and broken ground in Mariveles, Bataan and in the cities of Quezon, Bacolod, Roxas and Iloilo.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be [the President’s] emissary in sending this good news to all of you here in Marikina City, and in the country as a whole. Slowly, the dream of every Filipino family to have a home is coming true.
Under the program, we will do our best to build one million units every year,” Acuzar said. He reiterated the eagerness of DHSUD in fast tracking the implementation of the shelter program.