Marcos pushes climate-resilient housing, flood projects as typhoons intensify

MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippines faces a growing threat of increasingly powerful cyclones, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. stressed the need for climate-resilient housing and flood control projects.

During the ceremonial turnover of housing projects for survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda on Friday, January 17, Marcos urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to ensure that flood control projects can withstand frequent rains and flooding.

“Just yesterday, we spoke with the DPWH secretary to review their funds and projects, ensuring that all of them — especially those aimed at disaster response — are carried out properly, according to plan, and on schedule,” he said in Filipino.

The president mentioned the ongoing Leyte Tide Embankment Project, a 38.12-kilometer structure designed to mitigate flooding and protect coastal communities from storm surges. Construction began in 2016, and as of November 2024, the project is 64% complete.

Marcos also called on the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and the National Housing Authority (NHA) to explore sturdier, climate-resilient housing designs suited to the country’s changing weather conditions.

“To the DHSUD and NHA, I expect you to further study and adopt housing designs that are sturdier and better suited to climate change and weather challenges,” he said in Filipino, stressing the goal of minimizing damage caused by calamities.

The government completed eight permanent housing projects for those displaced in Leyte, Samar and Biliran in 2013 due to Yolanda. He said the homes built are capable of fending off strong winds and earthquakes.

Of the 3,517 housing units built in Leyte alone, 1,963 have already been distributed to beneficiaries, Marcos said. Each unit sits on a 40-square-meter lot, with the house itself spanning 22 to 28.6 square meters in floor area.

Marcos said beneficiaries in Leyte will be settled in the following areas:

• Cool Spring Residences
• Riverside Community Residences
• Mont Eagle Ville Subdivision
• Coconut Grove Village
• Dagami Town Ville
• Pastrana Ville

In Samar, the donated homes are located in Marabut Ville Sites 1 and 2. For Biliran, Marcos announced that the Culaba Housing Project is ready to accommodate hundreds of Filipinos.

Beneficiaries of the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program are also not required to pay for amortization, which is a home loan paid in installments. The NHA should not impose any charges on the houses.

“What we ask from the beneficiaries is to take care of these homes,” Marcos said in Filipino.

The NHA aims to complete the construction of the remaining 14,072 units out of the 189,800 target housing units by the end of this year.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council's report on Nov. 25, 2013, a total of 1.079 million houses were damaged or destroyed by Yolanda.  

The president also touted the Loss and Damage Fund, noting that developed and wealthy countries have agreed to assist those vulnerable to disasters and provide reparations, acknowledging that their industries have significantly contributed to the worsening effects of climate change.

In 2024, the Philippines faced fewer but more powerful typhoons, claiming hundreds of lives, along with record-breaking heat. These events resulted in significant agricultural losses, including rice, and about a month or so of lost learning days.