A total of 367 families from a community in Iloilo City received about P50 million in housing assistance from the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) during a ceremony held in Jaro, on Wednesday, February 4.

DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and SHFC President and CEO Federico Laxa, along with Iloilo Lone District Rep. Julienne Baronda, led the awarding of check worth more than P46.5 million for the land acquisition of Mirasol Village Homeowners’ Association, Inc., along with a grant amounting over P2.6 million.

The community, located in Barangay Dungon C in Mandurriao District, is one of the initial 36 projects approved by SHFC under the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program or ECMP. Members of the association also received their respective Certificate of Lot Award (CELA) during the event, confirming their right to the property where their current homes are erected.

Launched in July last year as part of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, the ECMP is a revitalized version of SHFC’s flagship CMP. Through its streamlined and people-centered approach, organized communities will gain secure land tenure and access to safe and affordable housing.

“Mahirap man ang pinagdaanan ninyo, magandang balita naman ang ibibigay namin sa inyo ni Secretary Aliling dahil mawawakasan na ang inyong paghihintay na makasa-inyo ang inyong lupa,” Laxa said. 

The check and CELA awarding came as a welcome relief for the community, which had recently been at risk of eviction from their land. April Rose Segumalian, the association’s president, said the assistance not only secured their tenure but also gave residents renewed hope for a more stable future.

“Noong wala pa po ang ECMP, gumigising po kami tuwing umaga nang walang assurance— na baka paalisin kami ng may-ari ng lupa (anumang oras),” she shared. “Ngayon, may pagasa na po kaming matawag na amin ang lupang ito.”

Rep. Baronda congratulated the member-beneficiaries in their journey toward homeownership, noting that the success of the event reflects the strong partnership and coordinated efforts of the local and national governments.

To date, four other communities—Centennial Sunrise HOA, Megaville 2 HOA, and Villa Soledad HOA in Pasig City and Wawang Pulo HOA Phase 1 in Valenzuela City—have received checks for land acquisition and grants for complementary benefits.

Also in attendance were DHSUD Senior Undersecretary Eduardo Robles, Jr., Human Settlements Adjudication Commission Executive Commissioner Atty. Avelino Tolentino III, Executive Vice President Atty. Junefe Payot, Senior Vice President Atty. Leo Deocampo, Treasury Vice President Jason Yap, Resettlement Services Vice President Bob Flores, and 4PH Central Luzon Head Prandy Vergara.