MAKATI CITY – The Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) on Wednesday thanked members of the House Committee on Appropriations for expressing support for the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) proposed housing budget for 2025.
SHFC is one of DHSUD’s attached agencies, along with the National Housing Authority and the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund. The budget will fund DHSUD’s ambitious Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program aimed at addressing the country’s housing shortage of over 6.5 million units.
Lawmakers from the minority bloc had raised concerns about the affordability of 4PH housing units, particularly for minimum wage earners and those in the informal sector, during last year’s budget hearing. GABRIELA Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas expressed concern while Northern Samar Representative Paul Daza called for increased funding for the agency.
However, the House committee, led by Senior Vice Chairperson and Marikina City Representative Stella Luz Quimbo and member Lanao del Norte First District Representative Zia Alonto Adiong, praised DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar’s commitment to providing affordable housing through the 4PH program, which they called an “innovative approach” to addressing the housing problem.