Marcos Must Decide: Keep Acuzar or Spark a Housing Revolution?

By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — May 23, 2025

IN THE shadow of Manila’s garbage-strewn slums, where families cram into fragile shanties, the dream of “Pambansang Pabahay” remains a cruel mirage for millions. Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar’s courtesy resignation on May 22, 2025, forces President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to confront a pivotal choice: stick with a leader whose bold vision has stumbled or seize this moment to ignite real change.

Acuzar’s tenure—marked by grand promises but sluggish delivery—demands scrutiny. Should Marcos accept his resignation to jolt a faltering housing program, or would his exit derail fragile progress? The answer lies in Acuzar’s mixed record and the deeper, systemic failures no single secretary can fix alone.

Why Dump Acuzar? The Case for a Fresh Start

Acuzar’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program aimed to churn out one million housing units yearly, dwarfing the 195,687-unit annual average of his predecessor, Eduardo del Rosario. By April 2023, 1.2 million units were underway—an eye-catching number that crumbles under scrutiny. As of May 2025, only about 200,000 units are occupied, with projects like Nueva Ecija’s 6,300-unit Palayan City Township just beginning turnovers.

X user @theadtan’s critique rings true: “slow delivery” and “implementation challenges” plague the program, with many projects mired in early stages due to bureaucratic snarls and weak coordination with local government units (LGUs).

Acuzar’s ambition has backfired. The 4PH’s original six-million-unit goal by 2028 was slashed to three million—a glaring sign of overpromising. Compare this to del Rosario’s steady output, delivering 1,400 units in Bacoor and 937 in Pampanga on time despite COVID-19 constraints. Acuzar’s numbers, while ambitious, lack reliability.

Worse, Acuzar’s past as a real estate developer raises red flags. His push for vertical housing and public-private partnerships (PPPs) brought innovation, but whispers of favoritism linger. Reports suggest some 4PH contracts tilted toward big developers, potentially sidelining smaller firms and community needs. No hard evidence of corruption exists, but the perception of bias erodes trust. A leader rooted in public service could better champion the grassroots.

Then there’s the bureaucratic quagmire. Acuzar’s slow coordination with LGUs—vital for land and approvals—has bottlenecked projects nationwide. A new secretary, unencumbered by these missteps, could streamline operations and deliver results.

Why Keep Acuzar? The Argument for Staying the Course

Acuzar’s defenders warn that his exit could stall progress. The 4PH Program, despite early hiccups, is gaining steam. Turnovers in Nueva Ecija, Davao City, and Misamis Oriental show delivery is picking up, with over 140 MOUs signed and 26 areas breaking ground by May 2025.

His real estate know-how has introduced game-changing ideas like in-city resettlement and vertical housing—leaps del Rosario’s cautious tenure never took. These innovations could reshape urban housing if given time.

Swapping Acuzar now risks chaos. Massive housing projects demand continuity to navigate complex financing, land issues, and stakeholder alignment. Acuzar’s proactive moves, like deploying DHSUD executives to monitor grassroots progress, show he’s tackling delays. Legislators hailed him as “extraordinary” in 2023, praising his bold vision. Can a successor match his knack for blending private-sector efficiency with public goals?

The Bigger Mess: Systemic Failures No One Escapes

The 6.5 million-unit housing backlog isn’t Acuzar’s burden alone. Structural roadblocks—scarce land, underfunded budgets, and corrupt permitting processes—predate and outlast any secretary. Without sweeping land reform to unlock idle government plots or boosted public funding (4PH leans heavily on PPPs), the crisis persists.

Marcos’s blanket call for Cabinet resignations post-2025 midterms also smells of politics. Is this a genuine push for accountability or a showy bid to look decisive? Ousting Acuzar without tackling these root issues risks making him a scapegoat for failures beyond his control.

The Verdict: Accept the Resignation, Demand Better

Acuzar’s vision was inspiring, but his delivery has disappointed. Marcos should accept his resignation and appoint a successor who fuses public-sector integrity with private-sector hustle—a leader who hands out keys, not just promises.

The ideal candidate must have:

Proven Grit: A track record of delivering large-scale housing, like a governor with urban housing wins.
Clean Hands: No real estate ties to dodge conflicts of interest.
Open Books: A pledge to transparency, like public dashboards tracking completions and occupancy.

A Cry for Dignity

Housing isn’t just policy—it’s dignity. When a government dangles homes but delivers delays, it betrays the trust of millions. Marcos stands at a crossroads: prop up a struggling status quo or embrace bold change to deliver roofs over heads.

For the families in Manila’s slums and beyond, the choice is clear. They deserve a housing revolution, not more broken promises.