Sustainable Social Housing in The Philippines

With frequent natural disasters and population growth increasing by two million people annually, the Philippines is in the midst of an alarming housing shortage. By the year 2030, the backlog is expected to reach 6.5 million homes.

The government’s ´Build, Build, Build´ initiative has triggered rapid growth in the construction sector. However, the country continues to rely on imported materials: cement, aggregates, reinforced steel bars, galvanized iron sheeting and lumber are imported in large quantities from mainland Asia.

Project background

In 2012, a Hilti engineer started to test a housing technology that uses bamboo as its sole structural element as it withstands natural disasters, and comes at a lower cost than the social housing standard materials currently used across the Philippines. In 2014, the Base Bahay Foundation was installed to apply what is called the ´Cement Bamboo Frame Technology´ (CBFT). By 2018, more than 750 homes were built using the CBFT method and a local supply chain for engineered bamboo was installed which also created decent employment in rural areas of the country. In 2019, BASE was transformed into a research center for bamboo construction to continuously improve the technology and to train builders and developers in its application.

Project objectives

By building 10’000 disaster-resistant and affordable bamboo homes in the Negros Occidental province of the Philippines the project aims to set an example for an innovative, inclusive and ecological approach to social housing. Three targets stand at the center of the engagement:

Createing a local ecosystem for sustainable and disaster-resistant construction of affordable homes made from bamboo, incl. enabling environment [financial mechanisms, land management, supplier industry]
Build thriving communities in Negros Occidental empowering 10’000 families to actively shape their own future.
Prove that the Cement Bamboo Frame Technology can be used for large scale projects.

Project description

Habitat for Humanity forms a coalition of partners from public, private and third sector, and from international to local levels, that join forces to achieve the project objective, each adding their specific expertise and knowledge. The coalition is clustered in four components:

Construction and technology

Prepare CBFT for industrial use and the long-term benefit of families (e.g. house extensions)
Enable local builders in accredited programs to build safe and affordable bamboo homes
Integrate technical innovation in the construction process (solar, waste management, etc.)

Site planning and development

Procure suitable plots of land for the construction of 10,000 homes, setting an example for an integrated approach to social housing
Innovate the design of low-income communities (public spaces, urban gardening, etc.)
Enable local government units to manage inclusive urban development

Housing finance

Discover and make available public funds for housing (subsidies, tax breaks, etc.)
Make available microfinance schemes to enable low-income families to invest in a house
Enable local governments to use these mechanisms long-term

Community building

Generate community governance models and empower the individual and the community to raise their voices.
Develop lighthouse projects creating opportunities for social and economic development
Help local governments create fair and effective social welfare schemes