THE number of housing units licensed for sale this year is expected to reach a five-year high as the government expands its housing assistance programs, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said.
Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the projection was based on the monthly average of housing units that applied for and received licenses to sell (LTS) in 2026.
‘If we base our projection on the monthly average of housing units that have applied for and been issued licenses to sell, this year will record the highest number of units issued licenses to sell since 2022,’ Aliling said during the second National Housing Expo.
Data from DHSUD showed that the agency was processing applications covering about 197,000 housing units as of September 28. Of these, around 117,000 units had qualified following evaluation.
Another 34,000 units were still under evaluation within the agency’s 15-day review period, while applications covering 31,000 units had been issued notices of deficiencies for compliance by developers.
The agency had denied applications covering about 13,000 units, equivalent to a denial rate of 6.7 percent.
Based on the applications being processed and the denial rate, the DHSUD expects to issue licenses covering more than 200,000 housing units by year-end, which would be the highest annual total since 2022.
Aliling attributed the outlook partly to the Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, which provides housing options for Filipinos across different income levels.
Under the expanded program, households that cannot yet afford to buy their own homes may access the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program, rental housing, and temporary shelter for families affected by disasters.
‘Since we expanded the housing options under the 4PH program, more Filipinos have benefited from it. The program’s name, Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino, has become more fitting because we now have programs for every Filipino who aspires to live in a decent and safe home,’ Aliling said.