House Speaker Martin Romualdez (4th from right) joins the inspection of the 4PH housing site in San Mateo, Rizal  (Speaker’s office)

Socialized housing has never been so classy. 

House Speaker Martin Romualdez took part in a site inspection Tuesday, June 4 at the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) in San Mateo, Rizal wherein he expressed amazement over the planned amenities for the beneficiaries. 

“Masaya ako dahil hindi lang pala tirahan ng pamilyang Pilipino ang itinayo natin dito. May basketball court, swimming pool, clubhouse, mini-mall at iba pang amenities na dati’y makikita lang sa mga subdivision at condominium,” Romualdez said. 

(I'm happy because not just housing units for Filipinos were built here. There is also a basketball court, swimming pool, clubhouse, and other amenities more commonly seen in a subdivision or condominium.) 
 

4PH San Mateo (Contributed photo)
 

"This will be the standard of all housing projects in NCR (National Capital Region)," he declared. 

Accompanying the House of Representatives leader at Tuesday's event was Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, chairman of the Committee on Appropriations. 

“Ito ang pangarap ng ating Pangulo: Ang mabigyan ng disenteng tirahan ang mga Pilipino. Ang mabigyan sila ng karapatang mamuhay nang may dignidad. Ang manirahan kayong lahat sa isang komunidad na payapa at ligtas,” said Romualdez. 

(This is our President's dream: To give Filipinos decent homes. To give them the right to live with dignity. For our people to all live in peacefulf and safe communities.) 

In his speech, Romualdez shared that there were 170,000 housing units being built in Metro Manila alone, across 55 locations. 

This is on top of the thousands of housing units being undertaken in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. These include the 20 ongoing projects currently in “various stages of construction and development,” according to Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jerry Acuzar. 

"Hindi talaga nagkamali ang ating Pangulo sa pagpili kay Secretary [Acuzar] (Indeed, our President didn't make a mistake in choosing the Secretary)," Romualdez said in a shout-out to the official, who was also at the event. 

4PH San Mateo (Contributed photo)
 

The Speaker said the national government remains on track with their original target of building one million housing units every year until President Marcos’ six-year term in 2028 ends. 

This is meant to fill the country’s housing backlog, which is pegged at 6.5 million units.  

“Ang kagandahan sa proyektong ito, ‘in-city resettlement’ ang ating ginagawa. Ibig sabihin, kung saang siyudad ka dati nakatira, doon ka rin hahanapan ng malilipatang bahay. Hindi natin inilalayo ang pamilya sa kanilang komunidad. Malapit pa rin sila sa kanilang trabaho at paaralan,” Romualdez, congressman of Leyte’s first district, said.  

(The good thing about this project is, this is 'in-city resettlement'. This means that you're being relocated within the city that you are from. We won't uproot the family from its community. They will remain close to their place of work and school.)