Los ba±os: The government has expanded the reach of its housing initiative to state universities, launching a rental housing project at the University of the Philippines Los Ba±os (UPLB) under the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and UP-LB Chancellor Jose Camacho Jr. on Thursday led the launch of the Expanded 4PH-UPLB Rental Housing Project which marks the first housing development in 45 years.
According to Philippines News Agency, Aliling said the move introduces rental housing as a strategic option to address affordability gaps, particularly for workers and informal settler families (ISFs) who may not yet qualify for homeownership programs. 'Alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos Jr., tuluy-tuloy ang pagpapalawig at pagpapabilis natin ng Expanded 4PH para mas maraming pamilyang Pilipino ang makinabang (We continue to extend and speed up the implementation of the Expanded 4PH under the directive of President Marcos so that more Filipinos can benefit from it),' Aliling said.
He added that the department aims to institutionalize partnerships with key government entities and local government units (LGUs). The UP-LB project is the fifth rental housing initiative under the Expanded 4PH. It will initially involve the construction of two five-story residential buildings in Paciano Rizal, Bay, Laguna, strategically located along a main road fronting the UP Rural High School campus.
Around 800 beneficiaries are targeted in the initial phase, composed of low-income UPLB employees and ISFs from Los Ba±os. The inclusion of university personnel reflects the program's expanded scope to cover workers in public institutions who face housing affordability constraints near their workplaces.
Camacho noted that the last housing project implemented inside UPLB was during the administration of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. in the 1980s. He welcomed the swift turnaround of the current initiative, which was formally launched two months after initial discussions in December.
Meanwhile, Aliling described the project as part of a broader strategy to scale up housing production through diversified models, including rental and vertical developments in urban and institutional areas. He also assured UPLB officials of sustained technical and policy support to ensure timely implementation.
The Expanded 4PH program, a centerpiece of the Marcos administration's housing agenda, seeks to address the country's housing backlog by strengthening inter-agency coordination, leveraging partnerships, and accelerating project approvals. With the UPLB rental housing project, the administration aims to demonstrate the replicability of campus-based and institution-led housing developments as part of a comprehensive national shelter strategy.
