MANILA – Eighty-five urban poor beneficiaries from nine communities in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, and Muntinlupa City have received individual land titles under the government’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, ending more than two decades of waiting.
The beneficiaries received their transfer certificates of title during separate awarding ceremonies on Thursday, led by Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and Social Housing Finance Corporation President Federico Laxa, according to a news release over the weekend.
The titles were issued under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, which provides urban poor communities access to land ownership.
For 77-year-old Camilo Maglalang of Muntinlupa, the awarding marked a long-awaited milestone.
“Sa pagtindig ko pa lamang kanina sa stage, hindi ko ma-express ‘yung kaligayahan at kung ano ‘ yung nararamdaman ko. Talagang napakalaking bagay nito [titulo] sa aming mga mahihirap na magkaroon ng matatawag na sariling amin (Just standing on the stage earlier, I could not express my happiness and what I was feeling. Having a title we can call our own is a very big thing for us poor families),” Maglalang was quoted as saying.
Ines Zipagan of San Jose del Monte said receiving the title brought relief after years of waiting and paying for their property.
“Ngayong tapos na kami magbayad, masaya [ako] dahil ia-award na sa amin ang title. Sobrang saya namin (Now that we have finished paying, I am happy because the title will be awarded to us. We are very happy),” Zipagan said.
Another beneficiary, Ningning Salcedo, said the title provides long-awaited security for her family. She expressed hope that the program would continue to reach more Filipinos.
Aliling said the awarding reflects the Marcos administration’s commitment to expanding access to housing, particularly for underserved communities.
“Alinsunod sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., walang maiiwan sa ilalim ng Expanded 4PH. Kasama dito ang ating urban poor communities. Kaya patuloy nating palalawakin ang programa upang magkaroon ng mas may dignidad na pamumuhay ang mas maraming pamilyang Pilipino, lalo ang mga higit na nangangailangan (Consistent with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., no one will be left behind under the Expanded 4PH. This includes our urban poor communities. We will continue to expand the program so more Filipino families, especially those most in need, can have a more dignified life),” Aliling said. (Darryl John Esguerra/PNA)
