Yolanda housing residents reveal bleak reality of their living situation

In 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda led to thousands of Filipinos in the Visayas without homes.

The following year, the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP) was approved, with an allotted budget of P26.7 billion pesos. The National Housing Authority (NHA) was assigned to manage it.

As the corruption controversy in the Philippines rages on, "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho" visited a couple of towns to investigate their living situation, over a decade since the tragedy.

Sagay, Negros Occidental

One of the beneficiaries of YPHP is the coastal barangay of Sagay in Negros Occidental, where nine government housings were established. Among them is the St. Vincent Village in Barangay Vito, where 1,000 housing units were built on the seven-hectare land.

However, Sunday's episode of "KMJS" revealed that most of the homes do not have doors or windows, and cannot be entered due to tall grass.

Despite the village’s state, resident Jessie has been living there for three years along with her mother and three children.

During Yolanda, their home was destroyed by the storm surge.

“Nasira lahat. Natangay sa tubig yung bahay namin,” Jessie said. “Maiyak talaga ako kasi wala talaga kaming bahay. Palipat-lipat kami.”

[“Everything was destroyed. Our house was swept away by the water. I could only cry because we no longer had a home. We had to keep moving from one place to another.”]

The 2014 project was a blessing to Jessie. After gathering their requirements, they were told to wait. However, it took seven years for the housing unit to be finished.

[“I thought after the construction, it would be given to us. But it still wasn’t turned over.”]

It took four years for the houses to be turned over to the LGU, and during that time, no beneficiaries were given a home.

Jessie admitted that they live in the unit illegally.

“Ako lang kusa kasi wala na talaga kaming bahay. ‘Ah! Bahala na kung makulong.’”

[“We really had no more home. So I thought, ‘Fine– if I get imprisoned, so be it.’”]

Jessie and her family had previously been asked to leave by the NHA, but since the houses remained unfinished, they went back there.

Since they live there illegally, they do not have electricity and water.

“Araw-gabi magpapaypay. Tiis-tiis nalang,” she said, and added that they buy gallons of water priced at P3.

[“We can only fan ourselves day and night. We have no choice but to endure it.”]

There are 15 other families who occupy the homes without LGU permission. Most of them save water in large containers as the poso negros are not functioning.

Some have chosen to build homes at the edges of St. Vincent Village, like Mang Alfonso, whose walls and roofs are made of iron and tarpaulins.

Like Jessie, Mang Alfonso tried to live in a vacant unit but was caught.

“Pinalayas kami. Sabi ng mga tanod pusasan daw ako kung hindi ako aalis,” he said.

[“They drove us away. They threatened to handcuff me if I didn’t leave.”]

Because of the way he was treated, Mang Alfonso had a stroke.

“Kasi dapat pupusasan ka kung kriminal ka. Nag-ano lang naman ako sa housing, nag-stay lang ako pero hindi pa yan pinayagan ng mayor na matirahan.”

[“You should only be handcuffed if you’re a criminal. I only stayed at the housing site, but the mayor still didn’t allow us to live there.”]

“Dapat sa mga tao tong housing. Maraming mga taong walang bahay.”

[“This housing should be for the people. There are many who still have no homes.”]

“KMJS” asked the contractors of the project, but they declined interviews.

According to information gathered from a reliable source, some of the contractors have already completed their respective projects and turned them over to the NHA and the LGUs.

The source added that the contractors will only install the remaining doors and windows once the NHA and LGU have finalized the list of beneficiaries and the housing units are ready for turnover to the residents.

Meanwhile, the NHA reported that 93% of the YPHP in Negros Occidental have been completed and handed over to the LGU, which is tasked with distributing the homes to the affected families.

“Naging 12 years lang yan kasi Manila-based kasi yung parang majority of the Yolanda contractors. Kaya medyo mahirap magcoordinate sa mga remaining works na lang,” a representative of the NHA said.

[“It ended up taking 12 years because most Yolanda contractors were based in Manila. That made it difficult to coordinate the remaining work.”]

Their records say that among the 7,471 units in Sagay, 2,454 were still not given to the beneficiaries.

“Si LGU na lang ang bahala mag-process, kung ano ‘yung mga mechanics nila, na kung pwede mag-apply. So sila na lang mag-process ng occupancy ng mga beneficiaries nila.”

[“The local government unit will handle the process, including their own application mechanics, if residents can still apply. They will process occupancy for their beneficiaries.”]

The LGU meanwhile said that the homes are a complete package with “land acquisition, land development, then construction of housing units, including the individualization of titles.

“Along the way like doon sa Bureau of Lands, sa Registry of Deeds, may mga glitches talaga na hindi ma-perfect yung process or procedure. May mga waiting time na matagal.”

[“Along the way, especially in the land bureau and the Registry of Deeds, there were glitches that delayed the process and prevented it from being completed smoothly. The waiting times became very long.”]

They also clarified that most of the housing units are already being lived in.

Resident Jose said they have been living in their unit for six years. It took two years for them to be given housing because of the many applicants.

“Masaya kasi may bahay na kami na libre, walang bayad yung bahay, hindi ka na mag-iisip ng renta.”

[“We’re happy because we have a home for free. No payments, no more worrying about rent.”]

Jessie said it would be a waste if the units were never to be granted to beneficiaries.

“Marami pa naman sanang matulungan sila na walang bahay. Masarap sa pakiramdam na kung sa amin na 'to. May bahay na kami. Para bang pagtulog namin na maayos ang pagtulog.”

[“So many people without homes could still be helped. It would feel so good if these were truly ours. Finally having a home—being able to sleep peacefully at night.”]

“Ang paggalaw namin parang maayos na talaga kung sa amin na 'to. Sana matulungan kami ninyo na maibigay na 'to. Sana. Sana lang,” she added, crying.

[“We could finally move forward properly if this were ours. We hope you can help us so that it can finally be turned over to us.”]

Kalibo, Aklan

Another town affected by Yolanda was Kalibo, Aklan. Homes were washed out including that of Roger's, who was forced to live with his parents. As a farmer, he hoped for free housing.

The problem was that the homes were built on his farmland.

It was in 2019 when the housing projects, Kalibo Townhomes, started development. They were only completed in September. This is also part of the YPHP of the NHA.

Roger was given a claiming stub which stated the lot and block number of his home. The unit was only about two feet wide, without a ceiling, and the floor was not properly tiled. It also does not have electricity and water.

“Parang hindi lang galit. Galit na galit talaga kasi kasama na ‘yun doon sa ano namin, e. Parang iisipin mo yung mga pinangako, hanggang ngayon, ilang taon, wala—parang ganun lang, puro lang pangako,” he said.

[“It wasn’t just anger. We were furious. You think about all the promises, and after so many years, there’s still nothing. It’s all just promises… broken promises.”]

“Oo nga may tirahan ka, wala naman kaming hanapbuhay diyan. Sana mabigyan hindi lang sa unit, hanapbuhay rin,” he added.

[“Yes, you have a house to live in, but we don’t have any source of income there. I hope we’re given not only housing units, but also a means of livelihood.”]

Residents are left confused because another barangay has a housing project with properly-built homes and was finished early.

“KMJS” revealed that Kalibo Townhomes was given a budget of P164 million. It was set to be finished in 2024 but was pushed back several times. Its new completion date is November 30, but it is not expected to be finished on time.

Kalibo town mayor Juris Sucro said, “Wala kaming direct supervision sa proyektong ito. Pagkat ito ay proyekto ng National Housing Authority. Hindi pa ito na-tu-turnover sa local government unit ng Kalibo.”

[“We have no direct supervision over this project, as this is under the jurisdiction of the National Housing Authority. It has not yet been formally turned over to the local government unit of Kalibo.”]

He added that the NHA is still responsible for the delays the project encountered, the stopping of construction, the termination of contracts with the previous contractor, and the delay of materials.

“Ongoing pa rin po ito. At nag-commit po yung (contractor) na matatapos sila ngayong February 27, 2026,” he said.

[“The project is still ongoing. The contractor of the project committed that it will be completed by February 27, 2026.”]

Sucro added, “Rest assured po, ginagawa po namin 'yung aming makakaya. Continuous po yung pagkipag-ugnayan namin sa NHA para madaliin po ito pagkat long overdue na project na po ito.”

[“Rest assured, we are doing everything we can. We are continuously coordinating with the National Housing Authority to fast-track this, as this is already a long-overdue project.”] —JCB, GMA Integrated News