Pag-IBIG Fund and SM Development Corp. signed a memorandum of understanding Sept. 8 to widen the range of SMDC homes that qualified members may purchase using Pag-IBIG Housing Loans.
The MOU also covers preferential pricing on selected units, buyer education, and planned homebuyer programs.
The partnership advances efforts by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and Pag-IBIG Fund to strengthen private-sector participation under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program (4PH).
These efforts make projects from more of the country’s leading developers available through Pag-IBIG financing, giving members, particularly middle-income Filipino workers, greater access to quality, well-located homes that suit their families and fit their budgets.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, who also chairs the Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees, said that SMDC’s participation shows how the agency’s expanded and affordable financing is translating into wider home choices for members.
“The direction of President Marcos is clear. We want more Filipino workers and their families to have a real opportunity to own a home in the city, particularly one closer to where they work. With Pag-IBIG Housing Loans now up to P10 million for each qualified member, more Filipino workers can choose from SMDC properties and pay for their chosen home at affordable rates over time,” Aliling said.
“This is what Expanded 4PH is achieving by bringing stronger government support and growing private-sector participation together so that more Filipinos can have a home of their own,” he added.
Under the MOU, the SMDC will offer preferential pricing to qualified Pag-IBIG Housing Loan borrowers on selected units in participating Pag-IBIG-accredited projects. The current accredited selection includes Coast Residences and ICE Tower in Pasay City, Spring Residences in Parañaque City, selected phases of Hill Residences in Quezon City, and SMDC Cheerful Homes 1 and 2 in Pampanga.
SMDC is also working to broaden the selection, with additional developments in Makati City, Mandaluyong City, Pasay City, and other growth areas undergoing Pag-IBIG accreditation. The projects under review span SMDC Heights, SMDC Nature and SMDC Symphony Homes, covering high-rise, mid-rise and house-and-lot developments.
SMDC is one of the country’s leading residential developers, with a portfolio of communities designed around how Filipinos live and a long-term purpose of helping build a nation of homeowners.
“Homeownership is too important for any one institution to address alone. Making it more attainable requires strong partners with a shared commitment to Filipino families,” Jeffrey Lim, president of SM Prime and SM Development Corp., said.
“Government plays a critical role in making home financing more affordable, while developers like SMDC must provide homes and communities that deliver lasting value. With DHSUD, Pag-IBIG Fund, and SMDC working together, Filipino homebuyers can get more of what they need: better financing, the right space, a good location, convenient access and a community where they can build their lives,” Lim stressed.
Pag-IBIG Fund chief executive officer Marilene Acosta said the partnership strengthens the agency’s efforts to make suitable homes more affordable for members.
“Affordable financing truly serves its purpose when our members also have suitable homes to choose from. Through our partnership with SMDC, more Filipino workers can choose a home based on their family’s needs, preferred location and budget, then finance it affordably through Pag-IBIG,” she said.
“Our promotional rates of 4.5 percent on loans of up to P4.9 million, and 5.75 percent on loans above P4.9 million and up to P10 million, make financing their chosen home even more affordable and are available to qualified borrowers until the end of the year,” Acosta said. “This is part of our comprehensive approach to helping our members own a home. We do more than provide affordable financing. We also work closely with developers and other stakeholders so that more homes are built to meet the needs and budgets of Filipino workers.”
Aliling and SMDC executive vice president Grace Sta. Ana served as witnesses as Acosta and Lim signed the MOU in Makati City. Also present from Pag-IBIG were deputy chief executive officers Alexander Hilario Aguilar and Benjamin Felix Jr., along with DHSUD senior undersecretary Eduardo Robles Jr.
SM Prime and SMDC officials in attendance included Jessica Sy, vice president and head of Design, Innovation and Strategy; Marking Que, senior VP and head of Customer Support; Carlo Alampay, VP and head of Regulatory Compliance; Susan Nicdao, VP and head of Project Development for SMDC Nature; Atty. Mena Ojeda Jr., VP and head of Legal Affairs and Risk Management; and Sheila Ching, assistant VP for Project Development and Management.
SMDC is the latest leading developer to enter a housing partnership with Pag-IBIG. ||
