MANILA — Highlighting their contribution to nation-building, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos on Tuesday, Dec. 17, led the ceremonial awarding of five housing units under Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)– the first ever units turned over under the flagship 4PH.
The awarding was witnessed by Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac during the Pamaskong Handog para sa OFWs in Malacanan Palace.
The OFWs who received the symbolic keys for their units were Jeramie Leyno, Madeleine Anne Mallare, Ramon Mabiog, Fatima Tolentino and Rogelio Crisostomo.
Leyno is a painter in Japan, while Mallare Mabiog, Tolentino and Crisostomo were returning OFWs from Saudi Arabia, Japan Singapore, and Libya, respectively.
The five were among the applicants for housing units at the Palayan City Township Project, which is being implemented under 4PH. They have already been processed and endorsed by the Palayan City LGU, and vetted by the DMW as required in the 4PH guidelines. They were subsequently approved by Pag-IBIG Fund.
The five OFWs have also checked the actual site of the housing project in
Barangay Atate.
As 4PH beneficiaries, the OFWs are entitled to interest support extended by the national government in their monthly amortization.
“Ito po ang ambag ng DHSUD sa hangarin ng ating mahal na Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Unang Ginang Liza Araneta-Marcos na ibigay ang lahat ng suporta at tulong sa ating mga bayaning OFWs at kanilang mga pamilya upang makamit ang kanilang pangarap na sariling tahanan na disente at ligtas,” Secretary Acuzar said.
“Maliit na bagay lamang po ito kung ikukumpara sa mga sakripisyo ng ating mga OFWs para sa bayan. Sila po ay patuloy na nagsisilbing isa sa matibay na pundasyon ng ating pambansang ekonomiya,” he added.
The turn over marks the first ever units delivered under the flagship 4PH Program since its launching in 2022, and a result of the Joint Memorandum Circular 2024-01 entered into by DHSUD and DMW last October.
“Umpisa pa lamang po ito, hangad namin na mas marami pang OFWs ang makinabang sa 4PH bilang sukli ng gobyerno sa kanilang kabayanihan,” Secretary Acuzar stressed.
He said that DHSUD is currently looking into ways to ensure that OFWs and their families throughout the country will be prioritized in the housing program.
Four housing units under 4PH projects were also raffled off to more than 500 OFWs and their dependents who were present during the event. (DHSUD)
