MANILA – House of Representatives Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Tuesday expressed optimism that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s target of building six million housing units during his six-year administration is attainable.
“Our target: one million housing units every year. This is an ambitious target, but I am very confident we can achieve this through our unity in purpose and the cooperation of all stakeholders in the program,” Romualdez said during the unveiling and groundbreaking of the Legacy Housing Project of the Marcos administration in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
Local officials call the project “Bagong Bliss para sa Mamamayan ng Quezon City” which is part of the President’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program.
The project is reminiscent of the BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services) holistic housing program of the President’s mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos, when she was minister of human settlements.
“President Marcos is addressing the country’s woes on all fronts almost simultaneously: food security, foreign investments, jobs and livelihood, public order and safety, health and social protection, and now social services, like housing,” Romualdez said.
He promised that Congress “will do everything to support our President in all of his programs because we also believe that if we work as one, we can achieve even the greatest of ambitions.”
“This is how we move forward; this is how we move mountains,” he said.
Recognizing how housing is important to all Filipinos, he pointed out that Marcos, from Day One of his administration, has instructed all those in government service “to move heaven and earth” to ensure that affordable housing units will be available to homeless Filipinos.
“Lahat daw po ng Pilipino ay may karapatan na magkaroon ng sariling bahay at ligtas na komunidad (The President said that all Filipinos have the right to have their own homes and a safe community),” Romualdez said.
With the presidential directive, Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development has mobilized government and private sector resources to support the administration’s housing program, he said.
“Thanks to President Marcos, what used to be a dream for our marginalized countrymen will soon turn into a reality,” he said.
“Sa wakas, abot-kamay na po ang mga pangarap ninyong lahat (At last, your dreams are now within reach). You will have a house to call your own. Hindi na po kayo matatakot na mapaalis sa inyong mga komunidad (You will no longer be afraid of being evicted from your communities). Your family can now live in peace in a safe and secure environment,” Romualdez told potential housing program beneficiaries in the Batasan and Commonwealth areas of Quezon City.
He said the project will not only bring economic and social stability to Filipino families but will also help create jobs and boost the economy.
“The Legacy Housing Project is also a testament how creative and innovative solutions to poverty can help to improve the lives of people in the long term,” Romualdez said.
“We owe a great debt of gratitude to all those who made this housing project possible. We thank them for their hard work and commitment to making this program a reality. All of us must continue this legacy of creating opportunities for those in need and making sure that everyone in our country has access to basic necessities such as housing.” (PNA)
