New DHSUD Chief Vows Improved, Expanded 4PH Program

Newly appointed Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling has vowed to deliver an "improved and expanded" Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, with a renewed focus on horizontal housing developments.

- With Helen Flores, Emmanuel Tupas

In a ceremonial turnover of leadership on Monday, Aliling announced that while the 4PH Program will continue, it will undergo improvements and expansion to include new modalities, particularly horizontal projects such as townhouses and single-detached units.

"We will prioritize the preparation of the 4PH Guidelines for Horizontal Developments. In doing this, we can expect 4PH numbers to improve significantly. We will prioritize the release of the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) for horizontal developments," he said.

Horizontal housing usually involves single-detached units, townhouses and other housing designs commonly constructed in larger areas.

This change in direction marks a departure from the vertical, condominium-style housing approach emphasized by Aliling's predecessor, Jose Rizalino Acuzar, now reassigned as presidential adviser on Pasig River development.

Aliling, a seasoned engineer and head of a prominent construction management firm, also appealed to the private sector to share technical expertise and assist the DHSUD in addressing housing backlogs.

He committed to holding monthly dialogues with developers to resolve issues hampering the rollout of the program.

Launched in mid-2022 under President Marcos, the 4PH was initially set to deliver one million socialized housing units annually—a target meant to address the country's 6.5-million-unit housing backlog.

The yearly target, however, was not achieved due to various challenges, including typhoons and procedural bottlenecks, among others.

During a press briefing last Friday, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin clarified that while there were no allegations of corruption against Acuzar, the reassignment followed a broader evaluation of agency performance after the 2025 midterm elections, where public dissatisfaction with basic services became apparent.