‘Yolanda’ survivors get sturdier homes
BURAUEN, LEYTE—President Marcos on Friday ordered the government’s housing agencies to further improve the search for better designs and technologies to ensure that housing projects in the country can withstand extreme weather conditions and other disasters.
The President gave the directive as he led the ceremonial turnover of 3,517 permanent housing units in three provinces in Eastern Visayas to select beneficiaries left homeless when Supertyphoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan) battered the region in 2013.
In a ceremonial turnover at the multipurpose building of Burauen Community College here, the President tasked the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) to ensure that housing projects for Filipinos could withstand disasters and the impact of climate change.
“To the DHSUD and NHA, I expect that you will further expand your search and utilization of housing designs that are stronger and more appropriate to the changing climate and challenges of the times,” Mr. Marcos said.
Locations
Beneficiaries of the government’s Yolanda Permanent Housing Program were given units at Cool Spring Residences, Riverside Community Residences, Mont Eagle Ville Subdivision, Coconut Grove Village, Dagami Town Ville and Pastrana Ville in Leyte province.
In Samar province, the housing units are in Marabut Ville Sites 1 and 2, while the Culaba Housing Project is for beneficiaries in the island province of Biliran.
The government had completed and distributed thousands of housing units to beneficiaries during the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022. The projects continued up to Mr. Marcos’ administration.
“We built these houses that are strong and can surely save your families amid the challenges posed by nature. That’s thanks to the disaster-resilient housing design crafted by the National Housing Authority. This means that these housing projects can now withstand strong winds and earthquakes,” Mr. Marcos told the beneficiaries.
The President was joined by Speaker Martin Romualdez, who represents Leyte in Congress, and Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla during the event.
Before the ceremonial turnover of the houses’ keys to local officials, the President inspected Cool Spring Residences here, which featured 600 bungalows with a lot area of 40 square meters and floor area of 28.6 square meters. All units in this project are occupied.
Gift from government
Delia Ocesador, a beneficiary from Barangay Arado in Burauen, was thankful as her family received a unit at Cool Spring Residences, located about a kilometer from the town center.
“I am happy that we now have a better house. We can sleep soundly even during bad weather,” said Ocesador, whose four children also live in the same housing project.
“Our request to our beneficiaries is that you take good care of these houses … You no longer need to pay amortization. The house and lots are free. The NHA will not charge you because this is the government’s gift to you,” the President said.
Yolanda displaced over 4 million people in the wake of its devastation in November 2013 and left 6,352 people dead in the Visayas.
Other initiatives
In his speech before the beneficiaries, Mr. Marcos also touted its flood control and disaster risk reduction and management initiatives to prevent a repeat of the Yolanda tragedy.
He cited the Leyte Tide Embankment Project which seeks to protect coastal communities in the province from storm surges. The Department of Public Works and Highways, he said, is expected to complete this soon.
He also cited the mandated construction of disaster-resilient evacuation centers and disaster response command centers that would serve as the center of response operations.
Mr. Marcos, in a brief interview after his speech, said he instructed the NHA, DHSUD and concerned local governments to prioritize the completion of the remaining housing projects for Yolanda survivors.
Early units ‘substandard’
“The houses that were first built were substandard. They lacked electricity and water, and [they were] not accessible,” he said.
“To address this, we are providing funding to local governments to rehabilitate and complete unoccupied units so they can finally be used by the people,” he added.
The NHA said it had completed 175,728 housing units for Yolanda survivors as of December 2024.
