President Bongbong Marcos on Thursday lightly urged Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso to take charge of the national housing program, acknowledging ongoing delays in the government’s Pambansang Pabahay initiative.
At the inauguration of the San Lazaro Residences in Sta. Cruz, Marcos praised Manila’s rapid vertical housing projects, noting they were being completed far faster than those under the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA).
“Naiinggit nga ako,” he said, joking that Domagoso should “take-in-charge” of the program after hearing that Manila finished a 200-unit housing project in three months.
“Panaginip lang sa amin ‘yun sa NHA, sa DHSUD… Kailangan magpaturo kami sa inyo… Ikaw na mag-in-charge doon para mabilis ang trabaho,” he added, drawing laughter from the audience.
The remark underscored Marcos’ frustration over the slower-than-promised rollout of the Pambansang Pabahay program, which originally targeted one million homes per year but has faced funding and implementation setbacks.
Marcos lauded Manila’s efficient, people-centered approach.
“Napakapalad ninyo na ang liderato ng lungsod ng Maynila ay talagang malapit sa tao… Hindi lang nauunawaan kundi ginagawan kaagad ng solusyon,” he said.
Domagoso, who joined the building tour, dismissed the “housing czar” remark as a joke but welcomed the praise.
“I’m really happy that the President is inspired by the situation,” he said, expressing willingness to share Manila’s vertical housing model. “I’m happy to share the idea for this (vertical) housing program.”
The 20-storey San Lazaro Residences integrates housing with a modernized health center and laboratory, allocating 193 units for health workers and 189 for qualified residents, with contributions placed in a trust fund returned upon exit.