Cebu City breaks ground for first 4PH housing project

Local

THE Cebu City government, in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), broke ground on Thursday, March 27, for the Cebu City Residential Park, the first housing project under the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program in the city.

Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia led the ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DHSUD Regional Director Lyndon Juntilla, representatives from Pag-IBIG Fund, North District Rep. Rachel “Cutie” del Mar, and Lawyer Danilo Ortiz, the chief executive officer of DEO Homes and Property Development, Inc., the project’s developer.

The housing project, located in Barangay Pulangbato, spans 38,111 square meters and will feature 19 buildings with a total of 3,054 housing units.

The development also includes essential amenities such as open parks, a clubhouse, jogging and walking paths, playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, and a swimming pool.

In an interview, Garcia explained the project's importance in tackling Cebu City's estimated 30,000-unit housing backlog.

He said that it is part of DHSUD’s 4PH program, which aims to make homeownership more accessible through relaxed payment terms and Pag-IBIG Fund financing.

“The Cebu City government’s role is to identify beneficiaries, while the developer ensures affordability through a monthly installment of only P4,386, with no down payment required,” Garcia said.

He said that priority beneficiaries include families displaced by demolitions, those living along danger zones like riverbanks, and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) with families in Cebu City.

“This is a big step toward our dream of eliminating informal settlements by providing permanent homes. The list of 3,000 beneficiaries was already compiled even before my administration, but we will still reevaluate it,” he added.

The Cebu City Residential Park is the first 4PH project in Cebu City and only the second in the Visayas, following Bacolod City. The project operates under a private-public partnership model, ensuring continuity regardless of political changes.

“The land is privately owned by the developer, and the buildings will also be owned by them. These units will then be sold to Pag-IBIG, which will offer them to qualified beneficiaries. This setup ensures that the project will continue even with a change in local leadership,” Garcia explained.

Moreover, Juntilla, DHSUD regional director, said that the 4PH program is a flagship initiative under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration through Executive Order No. 34.

“This project will help resolve the housing backlog in Cebu City, providing 3,054 units. Only Pag-IBIG members can avail of these units, and they must pass through screening by the Cebu City government, DHSUD, and Pag-IBIG Fund,” Juntilla said.

He also said that beneficiaries will receive a 5 percent interest subsidy from DHSUD, reducing the standard Pag-IBIG loan interest rate of 6.25 percent per annum to just 1.25 percent, making the P4,386 monthly amortization possible.

Lawyer Danilo Ortiz, the president and chief executive officer of DEO Homes and Property Development, Inc., assured that the project complies with environmental standards, including an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

“The location in Pulangbato was chosen because it is a flat area near the city center, making development more efficient. Although land acquisition was costly, construction costs will be lower,” he said.

He said he aims to complete all 3,054 units within two years, but Ortiz hopes to fast-track completion to just 15 months.

“This is a project that creates value for the Filipino people, and we want to deliver it as soon as possible,” Ortiz said.(TGP)