Government agencies are ramping up efforts to meet the target of delivering between 1.5 million and three million housing units under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, even as Malacañang acknowledged that the initiative is facing delays during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term.
Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the administration recognizes the housing backlog, but stressed that agencies are now working at an accelerated pace to catch up.
“It’s true, we admit there is a backlog,” Castro said in Filipino during a Palace briefing. “But the government is pushing hard to deliver as many housing units as possible for our fellow Filipinos.”
Marcos made the statement as he attended the awarding of new homes under the Expanded 4PH Program at the Megawide Precast Plant in Taytay, Rizal on Monday, where he reported that more than 423,000 housing units have already been built or financed since January 2022.
He said the government is intensifying construction efforts while introducing measures aimed at making home ownership more attainable, including reforms designed to improve affordability for Filipino families.
Marcos pointed to reduced interest rates on housing loans as one factor enabling more Pag-IBIG Fund members to access housing programs. He added that additional subsidies are also expanding opportunities for families to finally secure their own homes.
“And we’re not stopping there,” Marcos said, highlighting the role of modern construction methods in speeding up housing development, particularly through facilities such as the precast manufacturing plant in Taytay.
“We will do everything we can to expand facilities like this and build more plants so construction can move faster and we can provide more homes,” he added.
Marking the seventh anniversary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Marcos reiterated his commitment to ensuring that Filipinos gain access to safe, decent, and affordable housing, citing the importance of sustained collaboration between government and private partners.
“The government and the private sector will continue to work together to speed up production, improve processes, and expand our programs, especially the Expanded 4PH Program,” he said.
“As long as Filipinos dream of having their own homes, the government will continue to support that dream.”
During the same event, Marcos led the symbolic turnover of both vertical and horizontal housing units and awarded Certificates of Lot Award and financial assistance to beneficiaries under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program.
He also granted Certificates of Entitlement to families covered by longstanding presidential proclamations, providing them with legal ownership of land they have occupied after waiting for decades.
The Pag-IBIG Fund, meanwhile, launched a precast manufacturing facility in Taytay, Rizal, which will be operated by Megawide Construction Corporation and will produce components for Expanded 4PH projects financed by the agency.
“In line with President Marcos’s directive to expand access to affordable, decent housing, we are pushing modern construction methods like precast to deliver safe, quality homes faster,” DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, who also serves as Pag-IBIG Fund Board chair, said.
“This not only provides more homes but also creates jobs and stimulates the economy,” he added.
Under the precast system, key structural components such as walls, slabs, beams, and columns are produced simultaneously in a controlled factory setting, improving build quality while reducing the time needed for on-site construction.
Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilene C. Acosta said the agency is providing long-term housing financing to support faster construction techniques while ensuring that home loans remain within reach of Filipino workers.
“Through our partnership with Megawide, we aim to build over 7,000 housing units in just two years, ensuring strong returns to protect and grow our members’ savings,” she said.
Acosta cited Pag-IBIG’s P10 billion investment in Megawide preferred shares in 2025, which will support the development of 7,143 medium-rise housing units in Cavite and generate a nine-percent annual return. She added that the agency has also approved P27.12 billion in housing financing, with P8.5 billion already released to fund 21,022 socialized housing units.
Pag-IBIG Fund also reported releasing a record P140.54 billion in housing loans in 2025, benefiting 90,727 Filipino workers.
