Naga City now has 300 new modular shelter units, turned over by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) on Thursday. The units are part of the expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program, and they sit in Barangay Pacol.
Mayor Maria Leonor Robredo was there to receive the Bayanihan Village. She made it clear these aren't permanent homes. "They'll only be staying here temporarily while the government is waiting for housing," Robredo said. The units are meant for families who need to move out because of government clearing operations or because they live in danger zones.
"Those who are being ejected, those who have been relocated, and those who have been evicted will first have to move out so..." Robredo added, though the rest of her statement wasn't fully captured.
The 4PH program is the national government's flagship housing initiative. It aims to address the country's housing backlog, which the DHSUD estimates at over 6 million units. The modular shelters are a faster, cheaper alternative to traditional construction — they're prefabricated and can be assembled on site in weeks.
Naga City, a major urban center in Camarines Sur, has long struggled with informal settlers. Many families live along waterways or on danger zones like riverbanks and esteros. Local governments are required to clear these areas for safety and flood control, but they also need to provide relocation.
This is where the Bayanihan Village comes in. It gives displaced families a place to stay while they wait for permanent housing under the 4PH program. The shelters are basic but livable — each unit has a sleeping area, a kitchen, and a toilet. They're designed to withstand typhoons, which is critical in a region that gets hit by an average of 20 storms a year.
The turnover is part of a broader push by the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fast-track housing. The 4PH program was relaunched in 2023 with a target of building 1 million houses per year. So far, the government has broken ground on several projects across the country, but actual completion has been slow.
For Naga City, this is a step forward. But the challenge is scale. Three hundred units can only serve a fraction of the families who need them. Mayor Robredo knows this. She said the city will continue working with the national government to get more units.
The families moving into Bayanihan Village are getting a roof over their heads. But they're also getting uncertainty — temporary shelter means they don't know when their permanent homes will be ready. For now, though, it's better than the streets.
"They'll only be staying here temporarily while the government is waiting for housing." — Naga City Mayor Maria Leonor Robredo