Collaborative efforts to solve the Philippines' housing crisis

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE around the world live their lives in search of a place they can call home. After all, access to adequate shelter remains a challenge, particularly in areas affected by natural disasters, conflict, or rapid urban growth.

- — Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz

Homelessness charity Depaul International estimates 4.5 million people are experiencing homelessness in the Philippines, and about two-thirds of this number are in Metro Manila.

To combat this, both government initiatives and the efforts of private organizations and nongovernment organizations are addressing the housing crisis, which often becomes magnified during times of peril and uncertainty.

The main housing program of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which aims to build 6.5 million housing units through government-led housing initiatives and address the country’s current housing backlog by building one million housing units yearly until 2028.

Established under Executive Order No. 34, s. 2023, the government's flagship program was conceptualized to address the country’s current housing needs and features an innovative framework that has eased the burden brought by two major bottlenecks in the housing sector: affordability and access to funds.

Headed by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), the latest news on the project includes the launch of a website dedicated solely to the endeavor, offering information and services related to the government's flagship program. Additionally, it has been reported that a total of 42 private developers have committed to deliver 251,846 socialized housing units under the administration.

In the same way, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has also helped the cause in recent years. Together with Gawad Kalinga, the NGCP turned over a housing project in 2020 to the City Government of Valenzuela, which cost over P82 million, and comprised of 22 three-storey low-rise buildings with 792 units.