Legislators laud DHSUD on its 4th anniversary, brand secretary ‘extraordinary’

In celebrating the 4^th anniversary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Senators Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito and Ana Theresia “Risa” N. Hontiveros-Baraquel described DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar as “extraordinary” for his innovative concepts as the country’s housing czar on Tuesday.

Recognizing the country’s housing woes, Sen. Ejercito commended Sec. Acuzar’s leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s flagship housing program, the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program.

“We have a very daunting task ahead, a very gargantuan task of producing one million houses every year… We need to think outside the box and be extraordinary,” Mr. Ejercito said in his message.

“Sec. Jerry (Acuzar) is a very simple person and a self-made man. I think he is ‘the X factor’ that we need for the Department of Human Settlements,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.

For her part, Sen. Hontiveros emphasized the role of DHSUD in curbing the 6.5 million housing backlog through the Pambansang Pabahay program and vowed support toward achieving its goals.

“There is much work and challenges DHSUD needs to face. You can be assured that we will continue to join you in your fight for proper housing for every family. We will not stop, we will not get tired, and we will not give up in this fight,” Ms. Hontiveros said.

The lady senator added she will continuously push for funding support for the realization of the Pambansang Pabahay as vice-chairperson of the Senate Finance Sub-Committee that tackles the budget of DHSUD.

4^th anniversary celebrations

The two legislators served as guests during the opening ceremony of this year’s celebration with the theme, “Tahanang sapat para sa lahat (Adequate homes for all)” at the DHSUD Central Office in Quezon City. They were recognized, together with Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, former Rep. Jose Christopher “Kit” Belmonte, former House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte, Jr. and other sectoral stakeholders, for their significant contribution in the creation of DHSUD.

Led by Sec. Acuzar, the celebration highlighted the milestones achieved by the housing agency in the past year, particularly in leading the Pambansang Pabahay.

Under the program, the DHSUD is set to build and dispense one million housing units every year until the end of the current regime. So far, the department has broken ground in 17 areas and has signed 70 memorandums of understanding with local government units for the construction and development of housing projects.

“We are strongly confident that we will really fulfill the objectives of the 4PH. In the year that passed, we accelerated and intensified the housing program of the national government, with the help of our key shelter agencies and other partners,” Mr. Acuzar said in his keynote message.

The three-part celebration also witnessed the launching of the Philippine Urban Forum (PhUF) 2023, which was organized by the DHSUD’s Environmental Land Use and Urban Planning and Development Bureau, in coordination with the United Nations Human Settlement Program or UN-Habitat.

The forum serves as a platform of cross-sectoral government and nongovernment agencies to discuss their roles and commitments in refining and implementing good governance, security of tenure, environmental protection, and disaster preparedness and mitigation in the country.

The event witnessed the first time Mr. Acuzar and the newly appointed DHSUD executives celebrated the department’s anniversary.

In his message, the secretary thanked the officials and staff of the DHSUD and its key shelter agencies (KSAs) for “wholeheartedly” accepting him as their chief and closely working with him since his appointment in July 2022.

“I would like to thank every official and staff of DHSUD and our KSAs, whatever your level may be. The success of the 4PH depends on your capable hands and, so far, the results you have achieved are impressive. Thank you as well for wholeheartedly accepting me to the DHSUD family. It is a pleasure working with you every day,” he told the department’s workforce.

Hence, the third part of the celebration was dedicated to the DHSUD workforce as service and loyalty awards were presented to employees who rendered years of continuous and exemplary service in the government.

Mr. Acuzar stressed that in spite of the DHSUD’s achievements in the past year, it would persist in its thrust to maintain and improve the vibrancy of the housing and urban development sector in the country.

Especially with “effective leaders at the helm and a committed workforce by their side,” the secretary added, “the DHSUD will, no doubt, be moving mountains in the years to come.”

“There may be great challenges ahead of us, but greater opportunities are likewise awaiting us on the horizon. And so, I enjoin everyone to hang tight and soldier on as we improve the lives of Filipino families one adequate, resilient and sustainable house at a time,” he said.