The number of town development projects under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program (4PH) nationwide has reached 55 and in different stages of construction.

In a Malacañang Insider interview Friday, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the figure is equivalent to more or less 170,000 units.

“Gumagalaw ang housing projects natin ngayon na hindi tayo gumagamit ng government funds. Ang ginagamit po natin ngayon ay private funds (Our housing project operates without using government funds. What we’re using now are private funds),” he said.

The 4PH program aims to address the housing backlog in the country which is affected by fund accessibility and affordability.

Acuzar said the program prioritizes informal settler families and individuals earning between PHP16,000 and PHP17,000 only per month.

“Kapag tiningnan mo iyong presyo ng ibang developers, five million. Iyong presyo natin (When you look at the price of other developers, five million. Our price is), 1.8 million — same size, same location,” he said.

He explained that the price of housing units under 4PH is low because it does not include the marketing cost, production cost and developer’s profit since the government is the project developer.

The goal of the DHSUD is to produce six million housing units by 2028.

When asked whether the agency can accomplish its goal on time, Acuzar said the three million housing units would be established within the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“Iyong another three million, ilalatag iyan — may plano, may contractors, may nakalatag na, gagawin na lang — iyon ang ginawa ng ating administrasyong Marcos, nilatag niya ang lahat ng programa (that will be laid out — there is a plan, there are contractors, the plan is placed, just waiting for construction),” he said. (PNA)