Over 1,000 city residents qualify for 4PH housing

CEBU, Philippines — At least 1,200 individuals from six mountain barangays in Cebu City have qualified to avail of the Pambansang Pabahay Program of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. or 4PH Housing Program.

The Cebu City government thru the Division for the Welfare of Urban Poor has been going around the mountain barangays for the past three weeks to orient the people about the president’s housing program.

The barangays that already underwent orientation are Pulang-bato, Binaliw, Pit-os, Bacayan, Guba, and Sirao.

Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the Technical Infrastructure Committee of the City Council and overseer of the city’s housing program, said that 1,200 individuals have been assessed to qualify for the housing program.

The figures provided was based on the assessment made by the team of former Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) Regional Director Serafin Blanco who was tasked in the pre-qualification process for those who want to own a house through Pag-IBIG housing loan.

Guardo explained that they are doing orientations in the mountain barangays because it is where the properties of the partner private developer of the city government. Under the partnership, the private developer will build the housing units on its properties while the city government will make the needed endorsements for those who are qualified beneficiaries.

The national government thru the 4PH Housing Program has subsidized five percent of the prevailing interest rate of 6.25 percent, according to Guardo. With this, qualified beneficiary would only pay 1.25 percent interest rate per annum and maximum of 30 years to pay that makes housing units “cheap and affordable” Guardo said.

After posting DWUP’s activities, Guardo also disclosed that many government agencies and private companies have also invited them to conduct orientation to their employees.

Other developers have also expressed interest to partner with the city government either utilizing their own properties and resources or thru a joint venture agreement. — (FREEMAN)