DHSUD approves P870 million in land acquisition loans

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has approved P870.6 million in land acquisition loans during the first year of its Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP), benefiting over 8,100 low-income and informal settler families nationwide.

Implemented through the Social Housing Finance Corp. (SHFC), the ECMP has greenlit 47 projects since its introduction in 2025.

The program operates as a key component of the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, specifically targeting organized communities and informal settlers seeking legal ownership of the land they currently occupy.

Of the approved projects, 25 homeowners’ associations have already received their land acquisition assistance.

The disbursement has allowed more than 4,000 member-beneficiaries to finalize the purchase of their respective properties.

Recent project approvals include four homeowners’ associations located in Palawan, Camarines Norte and Isabela.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, who spearheaded the ECMP’s launch upon assuming office last year, said the initiative aligns with the government’s push for housing security and legal tenure.

“The directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is to make the dream of owning a home affordable for every Filipino family. Under the Expanded 4PH, we are granting the security in shelter, dignity of living and the assurance that the home they build will become theirs,” Aliling said.

The housing chief added that the department intends to scale up the program’s coverage in coordination with the SHFC to reach more informal settler families.

“Every ECMP that we approve symbolizes a new opportunity for thousands of Filipino families. We will continue to expand the implementation of the ECMP, in partnership with the SHFC, so that more communities will have secured shelters and experience a safe, orderly and dignified way of life,” Aliling noted.

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