MANILA — In the span of a single week in late May 2026, two Laguna communities experienced what decades of waiting had taught them to stop expecting. In Biñan City, 182 member‑beneficiaries of the Dreamland Homeowners Association finally secured land tenure through the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, ending more than 30 years of displacement anxiety. A day later, in neighboring Cabuyao City, families at Pasinaya Heights received keys to condominium units in a development expected to eventually house 8,000 individuals. DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling led both ceremonies, and for the beneficiaries, the events marked the moment housing ceased to be a distant hope.
Dreamland HOA President Freddie Arollado described the emotional breakthrough. "Halos majority ng member namin ay natuwa, halos nagkaiyakan pa kasi finally nga daw nandito na kami sa stage na may pondo ang gobyerno para sa kagaya namin," he said. Jimmy Rodelas, a factory worker who had lived on the property for 25 years, called it the realization of a lifelong dream. "Masayang‑masaya na mapapasa amin na yung aming inaasam‑asam na tinitirahan," he shared.
From Renters to Rooted Homeowners
Rizalina Magundayao, a housewife, described the program as the end of a monthly scramble to avoid eviction. "Buwan‑buwan kailangan kong makabayad para hindi ako mapaalis. Ngayon, nagagalak ako dahil isa ako sa pinalad na mapili," she said. Delivery rider Luis Nasayao stressed the peace of mind that comes with permanence. "Mas maganda yung panatag ka na kahit patayuan mo ng maganda yung bahay mo. Mahirap yung palipat‑lipat ka," he said.
At Pasinaya Heights, production operator Abegail Candor captured what distinguishes amortization from renting. "When we acquired a unit, we were assured that even if we paid monthly, the house would eventually be under our name. You are no longer just renting—no matter how long you stay, it will eventually belong to you." Under the program's subsidized 3 percent interest rate, a ₱1.404‑million unit costs approximately ₱5,919 monthly—nearly ₱3,000 below regular Pag‑IBIG rates and cheaper than many local rents.
A Program That Widens Its Reach
Aliling, who marked his first anniversary as DHSUD chief on the same day as the Biñan turnover, has expanded the 4PH to cover the middle and working class down to informal sectors through multiple modalities. In Q1 2026 alone, more than 1,000 working‑class individuals received housing certificates in Bulacan, while over 1,300 residents in Pampanga moved closer to land ownership. Rental housing is being rolled out in Iloilo, Quezon City, and UP campuses. More than 10,000 families nationwide have availed of Pag‑IBIG's 3 percent subsidized rate.
"Ang bawat pamilyang nagkakaroon ng sariling tahanan ay patunay na ang pangarap na magkabahay ng bawat Pilipino ay unti‑unti nating nabibigyan ng katuparan, alinsunod sa utos ni Pangulong Marcos Jr.," Aliling said. Since the ECMP's revival, SHFC has approved 45 projects benefiting more than 7,700 families. For the beneficiaries of Dreamland and Pasinaya Heights, the numbers validate what they now feel: after decades of waiting, home is no longer a question.
