Marcos orders inventory of gov't lands suitable for housing

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Jr. ordered government agencies to create an inventory of suitable lands for the implementation of his administration’s flagship housing program. 

Executive Order 34, which was signed Monday, declared the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino” a flagship program of the government. The program aims to build six million housing units from 2023 to 2028.

Marcos tasked the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development to identify national and local government lands suitable for housing in coordination with concerned national government agencies and local government units, and undertake required activities for their development. 

The DHSUD is also mandated to recommend to the president, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the issuances of proclamations declaring public lands as alienable and disposable, for housing and human settlement purposes. 

The EO also directed other national agencies, including state-owned and controlled corporations, and LGUs to conduct an inventory of the lands they own and administer, and submit the complete list to the housing department within 60 days from the issuance of the order.

The DHSUD will acquire ownership and administration of the identified lands for human settlement purposes and carry out development of those lands. 

The funding for the implementation of the EO will come from the current available appropriations of concerned agencies, and will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act for the succeeding years. — Gaea Katreena Cabico

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