The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has revived and strengthened the presidential proclamation housing program, aiming to formally award land to long-time informal settler families (ISFs) and improve living conditions in both government- and privately owned communities.
DHSUD Secretary Engr. Jose Ramon Aliling said the program’s first step is to award land titles to qualified families occupying the areas—similar to the Community Mortgage Program (CMP), which covers privately owned properties.
“Ang presidential proclamation tsaka CMP (community mortgage program) halos parehas yan eh, inaaward kung saan naka-tirik yung bahay nila. Ang diperensya lang ang CMP privately owned ang lupa, ang presidential proclamation pagaari ng gobyerno,” Aliling explained.
Once land is awarded, the second phase focuses on upgrading the community’s living conditions, including structural improvements and safety measures.
“Kasama na rin dyan yung structural retrofitting kasi alam natin kapag lumindol, malamang kung hindi properly engineered yung bahay nila, magiba yan. Maraming masasaktan o mamamatay,” he said, stressing the need to rebuild homes to withstand disasters.
Aliling confirmed that beneficiaries who are awarded titles will finally obtain legal ownership of the lots they have occupied for years.
“Kapag na-award sa kanila yung titulo kung saan nakatirik yung bahay nila magiging legal sila, kanila na yun,” he said.
Asked whether the initiative might unintentionally encourage squatting, Aliling rejected the notion, emphasizing the program’s intent to uplift lives rather than reward illegal occupation.
“itong programa na ‘to [presidential proclamation na housing program] hindi sa ine-encourage sila, gusto natin bigyan ng dignidad ‘yong buhay nila,” Aliling said.
According to the DHSUD chief, around 3,000 families—equivalent to roughly 15,000 individuals—are lined up for the initial rollout of the presidential proclamation program, which started in October and is expected to complete its first batch by March 2026.
For CMP sites, 34 areas across the country have been identified, benefitting 6,000 families or approximately 30,000 individuals.
