President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed confidence that the administration’s ongoing shelter projects will significantly reduce the nationwide housing backlog as he spearheaded the turnover of fresh residential units in Valenzuela City.
Marcos personally led the distribution of 333 new homes at Disiplina Village Arkong Bato on Tuesday, September 15. The units are designated for informal settler families, particularly those previously living in flood-vulnerable areas near the Tullahan River.
Reaffirming the administration’s commitment to scaling up shelter construction across the country, the President highlighted Valenzuela City as a vital partner in developing socialized housing projects.
”Kaya’t patuloy ang ating magiging housing program and hopefully we will begin to lessen the shortfall in housing units para sa ating mga kababayan,” Marcos said.
”This is a continuing effort na hindi lamang dito sa Valenzuela,” he added.
During his address, Marcos stressed the urgent necessity of moving families away from dangerous environments into resilient structures.
“Hindi naman kaila na isa sa mga problema na kinakaharap natin ngayon ay ang sunod-sunod na pag-ulan at ang pagbaha…Sa tuwing may ganitong panganib, tahanan ang una nating inaasahang masisilungan. Dito dapat ligtas ang ating mga anak. Dito dapat tayo nakakapagpahinga nang walang pangamba,” he said.
The President observed that for informal settlers in high-risk zones, severe weather turns their dwellings into hazards rather than sanctuaries.
“Ngunit para sa maraming pamilyang nakatira sa danger zone, ang tahanan mismo ang nalalagay sa panganib. Sa tuwing masama ang panahon, nag-aalala sila para sa kanilang pamilya, kagamitan, at kaligtasan,” Marcos noted.
He reiterated the government’s duty to assist vulnerable populations in moving to communities where they can enjoy safety and peace of mind. Disiplina Village Arkong Bato is currently being constructed across five phases to accommodate more displaced families.
Marcos pointed out that the new site grants residents easy access to essential public services, as it is situated close to local schools and healthcare centers.
He encouraged the recipient families to work together to protect their new neighborhood.
“Tinawag itong Disiplina Village, kaya umaasa tayo na sama-sama rin ninyong pangangalagaan ang inyong bagong komunidad,” he urged.
Government housing initiatives have completed nearly 600,000 units nationwide between July 2022 and July 2026.
These efforts are led by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) under its Expanded 4PH Program, in coordination with the National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), Pag-IBIG Fund, and the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC).