Husing czar Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar has committed to work harder to deliver his promise of addressing the 6.5 million housing backlog in the country following the confirmation of the Commission on Appointments of his post as head of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).
“The challenge to close the housing gap is daunting building 1 million housing units per year. Most find this ambitious, five times the average of previous administrations, but this is possible as long as we unite and work together," Acuzar said.
Based on the DHSUD data, the highest average of annual housing production by previous administrations was pegged at 200,000.
"Five times the average—I also commit to work five times harder to achieve this,” he added.
Addressing the housing gap is the flagship housing program of the Marcos administration. The DHSUD is pushing for in-city, on-site housing projects and has already made a deal with dozens of local government units and financial institutions to realize the goal.
The Pag-IBIG Fund has already committed P250 billion for the housing program while the Securities and Exchange Commission has paved the way for more private investors to put their money in the housing projects.
So far, around 30 local government units have already signed up to join the program while more than a dozen others have already broken ground –signalling the start of their respective housing projects.
In less than an hour of deliberation on Tuesday, Secretary Acuzar's nomination was confirmed by the CA panel headed by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito. It was the fastest confirmation by the 19th Congress, according to Camaries Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte (2nd District).
The 12-man House of Representatives contingent, led by Villafuerte, waived questioning during the straightforward confirmation proceedings and expressed full support to Acuzar. On Wednesday, Secretary Acuzar’s ad interim appointment was confirmed before the Senate plenary.
“I am deeply humbled and grateful to all the members of the Commission on Appointments for trusting me to lead the housing sector," said Acuzar.