DHSUD mulls housing rental at UP Diliman

MANILA, Philippines — To provide housing at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is planning to pilot a rental housing project under the expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino or the 4PH program of the government.

In a press statement, the DHSUD said its new secretary, Jose Ramon Aliling, met on Thursday with UP president Angelo Jimenez and other university officials to discuss the project.

“It was agreed during the meeting to operationalize the memorandum of understanding previously entered into by DHSUD and UP through a rental housing scheme for UP constituents,” the DHSUD said.

Aliling said the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund, led by its chief executive officer Marilene Acosta, also expressed support for the project.

“We will provide the necessary technical assistance to ensure the success of this collaboration. Once approved, DHSUD stands committed to fund the land development portion for the pilot project,” Aliling said.

He instructed key DHSUD officials to work closely with UP management “for the smooth implementation of the proposed pilot rental housing project.”

Earlier, Aliling ordered the expansion of the 4PH Program, the Marcos administration’s flagship socialized housing program, to include other modalities like horizontal housing developments and rental housing.

The 4PH was previously more focused on vertical developments or condominium-type housing projects for its targeted beneficiaries.