The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman) have unveiled the model unit for the Southern Diliman Gardens Rental Housing Project, a signal of the government’s growing shift toward rental housing as a key pillar of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (Expanded 4PH) Program.
The project, one of the first rental developments under the expanded housing initiative, is expected to benefit more than 3,000 individuals by offering affordable homes to students, faculty, staff and other eligible residents, broadening the government’s housing strategy beyond homeownership.
Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling and UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II led Thursday’s unveiling alongside officials from the Quezon City government and developer Megawide Construction Corp.
Aliling said the rental housing component reflects the continued evolution of the administration’s flagship housing program, allowing more Filipinos to access decent, safe and affordable housing through alternative tenure options.
To be developed by Megawide, Southern Diliman Gardens will feature eight walk-up residential buildings with around 1,000 housing units measuring 27 square meters each. Construction is targeted for completion in 2027.
The project stems from a memorandum of agreement signed by DHSUD and UP last year, with a similar pilot rental housing development already underway at UP Los Baños.
The initiative highlights the government’s broader effort to diversify housing delivery models as affordability challenges continue to put homeownership beyond the reach of many Filipinos. By introducing rental housing alongside ownership programs, the Expanded 4PH seeks to address immediate shelter needs while creating more flexible and inclusive housing options for low- and middle-income households.
