The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is studying the integration of an incremental housing approach in select community mortgage sites to further expand pro-poor shelter options under the administration’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program.

In a meeting with the Advocates of Housing for All (AHA) on Tuesday, DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure dignified, safe, and affordable housing for Filipino families.

Aliling, joined by Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) President Federico Laxa and other DHSUD and SHFC officials, discussed how incremental housing can be incorporated into the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP), a key component of the Expanded 4PH.

Incremental housing is a step-by-step construction approach where families gradually build and expand their homes over time according to their resources and needs.

He underscored the importance of strong collaboration among government agencies, AHA, and community-beneficiaries to guarantee the success of the initiative.

He asked AHA to identify ECMP sites where the pilot rollout of incremental housing could begin.

AHA representative Nathaniel von Einsiedel welcomed the DHSUD’s openness to explore innovative approaches that could improve living conditions and uplift the lives of informal settler families.

The DHSUD said consultations with communities will continue as it works to advance inclusive, sustainable, and affordable housing under the Bagong Pilipinas governance framework.

Earlier, the DHSUD and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development approved an updated price ceiling for socialized housing units in house-and-lot packages and condominium developments.

The measure is a support mechanism for the nationwide implementation of the expanded 4PH Program.

The maximum selling price for a socialized house and lot package is PHP950,000 and PHP1.8 million for the condominium units. (PNA)