President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the distribution of housing certificates and awards to beneficiaries of the government’s Expanded National Housing Program during the opening of the first-ever government-supported Housing Expo on Thursday, October 23.

The event, organized by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and its key shelter agencies, gathered top officials from the National Housing Authority (NHA), Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC), and the Pag-IBIG Fund to honor hundreds of beneficiaries from various cities and provinces.

Among those present were DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon P. Aliling, NHA General Manager Joben A. Tai, SHFC President Federico A. Laxa, and Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilyn C. Acosta. The President personally handed certificates of entitlement and notices of approval to several beneficiaries under Presidential Proclamations No. 436 and No. 550, including families from Laguna, Lucena City, Iloilo City, and Caloocan City.

“Ang pagkakaroon ng sariling bahay ay nananatiling mailap para sa marami nating kababayan,” President Marcos said in his speech addressing the rising number of families who doesn't have a decent home in the country.

The President said the administration remains committed to expanding and accelerating housing programs through strong partnerships among the government, private developers, and financial institutions.

“Nagsusumikap ang pamahalaan na palawakin ang ating programa, pabilisin ang mga proseso at palalimin ang suporta sa sektor ng pabahay,” he said.

He also highlighted the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which aims to provide affordable housing loans with a 3% annual interest rate, especially for minimum-wage earners and overseas Filipino workers.

As part of the National Shelter Month celebration, the government also awarded Certificates of Entitlement to Land Ownership to families who have long occupied government properties.

“Mga kababayan, ang bahay ay hindi lamang istruktura. Sa tahanan unang nahuhubog ang pagkatao, umuusbong ang pag-ibig, at binubuo ang mga pangarap. Kaya't hangga’t may mga Pilipinong nagnanais ng sariling tahanan, hindi po titigil ang pamahalaan sa aming pagkilos,” Marcos said in closing.

The expo underscored the government’s continuing effort to make decent housing accessible to all Filipinos under the administration’s Bagong Pilipinas development agenda.