President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hands over the symbolic key to the recipients of permanent housing units residing at Cool Spring Residences in Burauen, Leyte. (Photo courtesy of PCO)
BURAUEN, Leyte (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DSHUD) for more resilient housing infrastructure that could withstand the effects of climate change.
President Marcos Jr., who made his first official provincial visit this 2025 to Burauen, Leyte on Friday, January 17, also led the turnover ceremony of 3,517 housing units for families in Leyte, Samar, and Biliran devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda more than a decade ago.
“Sa DHSUD at sa NHA, inaasahan ko na palalawigin pa ninyo ang pagtuklas at paggamit ng mga disenyo ng pabahay na mas matibay pa at mas angkop sa pagbabago ng klima at hamon ng panahon. Kaugnay nito, tuloy-tuloy ang ating pagsulong ng mga hakbang upang mabawasan ang pinsalang bunsod ng mga kalamidad,” President Marcos said in his speech at the Burauen Community College Multi-Purpose Building in Burauen town.
He added during an interview that funds have also been given to NHA to redesign and fortify previous housing units which were not up to standards and have thus remained unoccupied.
“Lahat ng mga NHA project na hindi magamit ay gagawan natin ng paraan upang maging mas maganda, maging technically na matibay para maharap naman ang ating mga bagyo na inaasahan pa nating darating dito sa Pilipinas,” the President said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who joined the president in the turnover of the symbolic keys to the eight LGU-recipients of the housing projects, reiterated his commitment to advocating for disaster preparedness and recovery programs in Congress.
“Patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga programang magbibigay ng seguridad at katiyakan sa ating mga kababayan,” Romualdez said.
The turned over housing projects were funded and constructed by the National Housing Authority under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Project (YPHP).
These are the Culaba Housing Project in Culaba, Biliran with 50 housing units; Marabut Ville Site 1&2 in Marabut, Samar with 670 units; Riverside Community Residences in Tabontabon, Leyte with 745 residential units; Mont Eagle Ville Subdivision in Tanauan, Leyte with 412 housing units; Coconut Grove Village in Julita, Leyte with 150 housing units; Dagami Town Ville in Dagami, Leyte with 234 housing units; Pastrana Ville in Pastrana, Leyte with 656 residential units; and the Cool Spring Residences in Burauen, Leyte with 600 housing units.
According to NHA, it has completed 175,728 out of 189,800 target units as of December 2024, including the 3,517 units in today’s ceremonial turnover, while the remaining 14,072 units are expected to be completed by December 2025. (ACR/PIA Leyte)
