MANILA — Senator Cynthia Villar wants the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development to distribute land instead of condominium units to informal settler families under the government Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino or 4PH housing program.

Villar made the call during the Senate plenary deliberations on the agency's 2025 budget Tuesday.

"Why are you prioritizing the 3.2 million condominium for the middle class when your mandate is to help  the poor and the homeless? Dapat yun  ang first priority. In fact, that is our problem in Las Piñas. Yung inyong condominium na pinapropose, it's not for the poor and the homeless. It's for the middle class. So why are we providing houses for the middle class? They can buy from others because they can afford it. Our priority should be the poor and the homeless,” Villar said.

"Before kasi, yung aming CMP (Community Mortgage Program) program, we're just giving land to the poor and the homeless. And they will try to save money to build their homes, better homes in the future. And ang amortization lang nun, 500 pesos a month. So they can afford it. The poor and the homeless, they can afford it. Even the tricycle driver and the mga nagtitinda sa palengke. But now, they are prioritizing condominium. Ang condominium, mahal. It's for the middle class. It's not for the poor. Tapos paaalisin nila doon sa lupa yung poor. Lalagyan nila ng condominium. Saan nila dadalhin yung poor? " Villar also explained.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros, sponsor of the agency's budget, explained that the condominium distribution is still for the poor because the government subsidizes it.

"Mr. President, kahit sa condominium, sinasabi nga po ng DHSUD na pati ang condominium ay for the poor as long as may interest subsidy. So sinusubukan po ng department mag-innovate sa mga programa,” Hontiveros explained.

"Bukod pa po dun sa pinag-uusapan natin kaninang government subsidy, may nauna nang proposal na interest subsidy para dun po sa mga mahihirap na mag-elect, tumira dun sa mga condominium na iyon or mga medium rise na iyon. At meron din pong proposed na amortization subsidy or partnership sa LGUs,” Hontiveros later on said.

"I don't think that's practical. That is why I'm questioning you para mag-isip kayo ulit kung tama yung ginagawa nyo kasi nakalagay sa mandate nyo to help the poor and the homeless. But the poor and the homeless cannot afford the condominium. Why not distribute the land under the community mortgage program na 500 a month lang ang nila? But ayaw nyo nun?" Villar insisted. "You have to reconsider what you're doing. I think it's wrong.”

"They cannot afford a condominium. I'm telling you. Kasi I know how to build condominium. So I know that they cannot afford that. Ang ayoko lang naman, mawalan sila ng opportunity to have land. Kung hindi nila kaya ang condominium, give them the opportunity to own the land and let them build houses in the future,” Villar said.

"So why are they changing the model? Yun lang ang question ko," Villar also said.

Hontiveros explained that the CMP remains but historically it has not been funded.

"Yes, Mr. President. And definitely, the model is not being changed. May affirmation po tayo dito na CMP as an option will always be there and will not be abandoned. Nga lang kailangan talaga ng funding mula sa GAA na historically hindi po naibibigay. Pero patuloy po natin ilalaban na laging kasama po ang CMP,” Hontiveros said.

Villar suggested that the Pag-IBIG Fund can enter the picture.

"If you will arrange that Pag-IBIG will buy the land and they will pay amortization to Pag-IBIG. They don't want the land for free. They just want the opportunity to be able to pay amortization on the land. Kasi mas mura yun than condominium. Yun lang naman ang option na binibigay namin. Di naman sila naghahanap ng libre. They're willing to pay the amortization but you give them a chance. May model na gano'n na bibilhin ng Pag-ibig or government financing institution and land and then they will pay for it through amortization. And they're even willing to pay down payment. Eh pa'no pa ginawa yung NHA na walang down payment tapos 700 ang hulog, may mga ano,” Villar said.

In her sponsorship speech, Hontiveros explained that the 4PH Program,  initially aimed to develop six million housing units by 2028, relying heavily on private sector investment.

"However, this target was later revised down to 3.2 million units. As of the latest update, there are 535 projects already underway, with an expected output of 1.2 million housing units at an estimated cost of 1.65 trillion pesos." Hontiveros said. "Pag-ibig has set aside P87.15 billion for 4PH projects through this program. While not directly allocated a budget within the DHSUD framework, Pag-IBIG operates as a key partner in achieving the program's goals."

"Also, Mr. President, for the record, by 2028, bukod sa 907,000 housing units na construction started, by that same year, 2028, meron na pong housing units delivered to the number of 1,108,924,” Hontiveros later on said.

Hontiveros said that the the 4PH program has made progress, with 162,381 units currently already under construction.

"However, to meet the revised target of 3.2 million units, the DHSUD is proposing a shift in the financing model, leveraging the government guarantee to enable NHA and SHFC to act as developers. This shift aims to expedite construction and increase housing production,” Hontiveros said.

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III moved to defer the budget of the agency and its attached agencies to November 18 because senators have not yet exhausted their questions for the agency as well as the agency's openness to hybridizing the administration's housing program from purely condominium type to other forms such as CMP. The plenary approved the motion.