MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has accepted the courtesy resignation of Department Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino “Jerry” Acuzar.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin announced this, along with other changes in the Marcos Cabinet, in a press conference on Friday, May 23. He said DHSUD Undersecretary Jose Ramon Aliling will replace Acuzar.
Acuzar, who was appointed housing czar on July 29, 2022, will be named presidential adviser for Pasig River development, with the rank of secretary, Bersamin said. As DHSUD chief, Acuzar was tasked to lead the multi-agency project Pasig Bigyan Buhay Muli, a pet project of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
‘Underdelivery’
Asked why Acuzar will be replaced, Bersamin said there is no corruption issue against Acuzar but the issue is one of “underdelivery.”
“Napakataas nang nilagay niya na standard when he accepted the job. He was very efficient in the private sector and the President expected na makapagdeliver siya. But he set his standard too high — 1 million housing a year,” Bersamin said.
(He set a very high standard when he accepted the job. He was very efficient in the private sector and the President expected him to deliver. But he set his standard too high — 1 million houses a year.)
Acuzar, an established property developer prior to government service, had set the target under the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PHs), the Marcos government’s flagship housing program. He had said in previous interviews that Marcos himself had asked if he could meet the target, and that he had assured the President that it could be done.
“There may have been obstacles in the way which were beyond his control and beyond the control of government but to us now, because of the results of the elections it’s time to take him out there and bring in another one who might make a better performance,” Bersamin said.
A day earlier, on Thursday, May 22, Marcos ordered all Cabinet secretaries to submit their courtesy resignations in line with his envisioned “bold reset” of government as he neared the midterm mark of his presidency.
The directive follows the crushing defeat of his Senate bets in the May 12 elections, with only three of his 11 candidates winning. The President has also been hounded by low public trust and approval ratings.
In his courtesy resignation letter, Acuzar had thanked Marcos for allowing him to serve his fellow Filipinos.
“Asahan po ninyo ang aking patuloy na pagsuporta sa mga programa ng inyong administrasyon tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas (You can count on me to continue supporting the program of your administration toward a New Philippines),” he had said.
In 2023, Acuzar drew flak for claiming that some poor Filipinos could not afford the government’s low-cost housing program because they were lazy.
This was during House deliberations on his agency’s proposed 2024 budget, when Makabayan lawmakers told him that Filipinos could not afford the monthly amortization for government housing even with government subsidy. – Rappler.com