The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) is set to kick off the construction of socialized housing units within the Subic Bay Freeport Zone (SBFZ) in the first quarter of 2024, announced SBMA Chairperson and Administrator Eduardo Jose Aliño. This initiative falls under the Marcos administration’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program, aimed at providing affordable and sustainable housing options for low-income workers within the freeport zone.
Aliño shared during an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon that the construction is slated to begin in February or March, with hopes of completing some units by the end of 2024 or mid-2025. This project is specifically designed to benefit SBMA employees, offering them a convenient living solution close to their workplace.
In May 2024, a memorandum of understanding was signed between SBMA and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to facilitate the construction of these housing units under the 4PH Program. The primary goal is to enable workers to live near their work, saving both time and money on commuting.
Many of the freeport zone’s workforce hail from nearby provinces such as Bataan, Pampanga, and Tarlac in Central Luzon. Aliño reported that by the end of 2024, SBMA had a workforce of 164,000, marking an increase of 7,000 jobs from the previous year’s total of 157,000. He further noted that the job market within the SBFZ is expected to expand as investors commit to creating more employment opportunities to support their operations.