MANILA – The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) will formally open the National Shelter Month (NSM) 2026 celebration on Monday (Oct. 5), at the DHSUD Central Office, bringing together government agencies, housing stakeholders, and partners in advancing safer, decent and affordable housing for Filipino families.
This year’s celebration carries the theme, “Tahanan. Pamayanan. Kinabukasan,” highlighting the connection between decent homes, stronger communities and more secure futures.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the theme reflects the Department’s continuing efforts to bring housing closer to Filipino families and create communities where people can live with greater security and dignity.
“At the heart of every housing project is a family looking forward to a better life. Every home built offers security, every community developed creates opportunities, and every right protected helps give families peace of mind. These are the measures of our success — not simply the number of housing units we build, but the lives we help transform,” Aliling said.
“As directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., we will continue expanding every Filipino family’s access to safe, decent, and affordable homes through the administration’s flagship Expanded 4PH,” he added.
The opening program will begin with a thanksgiving mass, followed by the opening of the Key Shelter Agencies’ booths and exhibits at the DHSUD Central Office. The exhibits will run from October 5 to 8 and will feature housing programs, services, and initiatives of the Department and its partner agencies.
The October activities will also include the weekly Kapihan sa Radyo every Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., providing a platform for public discussion and information sharing on human settlements and urban development programs and initiatives.
From Oct. 19 to 20, the second government-led National Housing Expo, organized by Pag-IBIG Fund at the SM Convention Center, will bring together the public and housing stakeholders and provide information and services toward homeownership opportunities.
The celebration will culminate in the National Real Estate Summit on October 28 at the DHSUD Auditorium, where government and private sector stakeholders will discuss policies and regulatory directions affecting housing and real estate development.
The NSM activities follow the ceremonial topping off of Jab Residences, Towers C and D of the 4PH-Sampaloc Ill project in Barangay Paliparan, Dasmariñas, Cavite, on October 1, led by Secretary Aliling and Pag-IBIG Fund President and CEO Marilene Acosta. The project, being implemented by Megawide Construction Corp. is designed to deliver 4,000 socialized condominium units under the program.
National Shelter Month, declared through Proclamation No. 662, series of 1995, is observed every October to highlight the importance of adequate housing and sustainable human settlements as a shared responsibility of government, communities, the private sector, and other stakeholders.
“As we celebrate this year’s National Shelter Month, we remain steadfast in our mission that goes beyond providing roofs over people’s heads—building dignified lives through safe, decent, and affordable shelters; creating communities where families can thrive; and laying the foundation for a better future for generations to come,” Aliling said. (PR)
