Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III asked the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) to conduct further study on the President’s flagship housing program, 4PH, calling it “out of tune.”
Pimentel urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to directly intervene and review the program.
“This is my personal message to the Office of the President: I noticed that there is room for improvement in the housing budget. There’s still time for the President to intervene and review it. After all, in his message, the President emphasized that the DHSUD’s 4PH program is his flagship initiative,” the veteran legislator said.
“There is something out of tune.”
“There is something out of tune. There is something na sintunado sa programang ‘yun. So please find out what that is kasi out of concern naman ito sa administration po ni President Marcos,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
The 4PH program, which stands for “4Ps for Housing,” aims to provide affordable housing to low-income Filipinos. However, the program has faced criticism for its focus on condominium-type housing, which some argue is not suitable for all beneficiaries, particularly those living in rural areas.
The senator also pointed out a significant gap in its design.
“The program is not aimed at benefiting the homeless poor who live on the streets.”
“The program is not aimed at benefiting the homeless poor who live on the streets,” he noted.
The program may not be effectively addressing the needs of all Filipinos, and that a review is necessary to ensure optimum and judicious use of resources, according to Pimentel who led the scrutiny of the 2025 national budget.
The original target of the housing program was 6 million housing units at the start of President Marcos’ term, but this has been reduced to 3.2 million units or condominium type to be constructed over the six-year term.
The proposed budget of the DHSUD for 2025 is P6.363 billion.
Lastly, Pimentel said the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) should relay these concerns of legislators and act as a bridge between the Senate and the President’s office to address these issues.
