BACOLOD CITY – The city government here is opening the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as well as to home renters, who are not registered residents but are working in the city.
Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez, chairman of the City Council’s committee on urban poor, housing and resettlement, said on Monday that although the priority beneficiaries are still Bacolodnons, residents of other local government units can also avail of the city government's shelter program in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
“Good news because this is a national housing program, not only residents of Bacolod can avail of this. Even those from other cities and municipalities who are renting places in Bacolod since they work here, can also qualify,” Gonzales said in an interview.
“We will still prioritize the people of Bacolod. Probably with 10 to 20 percent of the housing units, we can entertain them,” he added.
Gonzales said OFWs can also avail of housing units under the 4PH Program.
“Yes, they can. The OFWs can apply. They can grant a special power of attorney to a family member to process the papers,” he said.
The city government is implementing the 4PH Program mainly for informal settler families through a memorandum of agreement with the DHSUD.
The development of the first project, the Yuhum Residences-Vista Alegre, including an initial four buildings with 296 condominium-type housing units, is ongoing.
The Yuhum Residences-Banago housing project, with a target of 3,627 housing units, will be implemented next.
Gonzalez said that since the implementation of the 4PH has a subsidy from the national government, homeowners will pay an interest of only 1 percent per annum instead of the regular 6.25 percent.
They will also pay lower monthly amortization of PHP2,300 to PHP2,800, or not more than PHP3,000, he said.
Applicants must be members of the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), also known as the Pag-IBIG Fund, but those who are not will be assisted to become one to avail of the shelter program, he added. (PNA)