Manila: More than 5,000 families long waiting for land tenure security are set to receive Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) under four presidential proclamations, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said on Friday.

According to Philippines News Agency, DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling stated that a total of 5,700 families are expected to benefit from the distribution of COEs covering Presidential Proclamations (PP) 550, s.2004 (Los Ba±os, Laguna); 463, s.2003 (Lucena City, Quezon); 1538, s.2008 (Iloilo City); and 397, s.2003 (Caloocan City).

He cited President Marcos Jr.'s directive to provide Filipinos with a more secure and dignified way of life. The distribution of COEs aims to provide families who have long been living on untitled land with formal recognition of their right to occupy and eventually own the land.

The DHSUD plans to distribute the COEs for Iloilo City, Lucena City, and Los Ba±os as part of National Shelter Month 2025, themed 'Build Homes, Build Happiness.' Beneficiaries under PP397 in Caloocan City are expected to receive their certificates within the year, with an initial 840 family-beneficiaries slated to receive their COEs before the year-end.

Aliling emphasized that this distribution is a significant step toward the dreamland title of many Filipinos. The COE distribution is part of the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino or 4PH Program, which aims to provide security of tenure for families occupying untitled or government-proclaimed lots.

Additionally, the program includes other modalities such as rental and incremental housing, vertical (condominium-type) and horizontal (subdivision-type) developments, and an enhanced community mortgage program. This initiative underscores the Marcos administration's commitment to inclusive housing development, providing thousands of informal settler families not just homes but also stability and hope for a secure future.