Housing program
No one honestly believed BBM’s housing program would be any better than his predecessors’.
The Philippines' housing program, initially touted as a solution to the nation's housing crisis, has failed to meet its ambitious targets. The 6.15 million housing units planned for construction over six years turned out to be a mere aspiration, with only 13,000 units completed by the end of 2023. This shortfall has left millions of low-income families without adequate shelter, and the housing shortage is projected to worsen to 22 million units by 2040 if the issue remains unaddressed.
To tackle this problem, the 4PH (4 Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino) program was introduced in late 2022, focusing on high-density, vertical condominium projects. However, the program struggled with land procurement, funding constraints, and slower construction timelines, leading to its underperformance. It took three years for President BBM to realize that the housing program was not making progress. In May 2025, he replaced the housing secretary and appointed a more competent individual to lead the program.
The new Housing Secretary, Jose Ramon Aliling, revised the housing targets to a more realistic 1.133 million units by June 2028. To improve the program's success, Aliling adopted a more flexible approach, incorporating horizontal and subdivision-type developments, rental housing, incremental housing, and temporary shelters. This strategy expanded options for different income segments and led to increased public approval of the administration's housing programs.
One key factor in the program's success has been the integration of the Pag-IBIG Fund's three percent subsidized interest rate for low-income earners, as well as the introduction of rent-to-own schemes and partnerships with private developers. Modular and precast construction methods, such as those used by Megawide Construction, have also played a crucial role in accelerating housing production and reducing building timelines.
For instance, Megawide's first 4PH tower in Imus, Cavite, was completed in just 10 months, thanks to off-site manufacturing and rapid assembly techniques.
Another significant development is the P3-million condo scheme, which allows private developers to sell existing condominium units in prime areas to low-income buyers at subsidized interest rates. This policy aims to address Metro Manila's condominium oversupply and help buyers purchase ready-made homes. Private real estate developers, including Ayala Land, Robinsons Land, SM Prime Holdings, and Alliance Global (Megaworld), have agreed to lower their unit prices to participate in this new government framework.
The success of this initiative is expected to alleviate the pressure on the housing market and provide more affordable housing options for Filipinos.
Written by urgent.news from Philippine Star Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
