Government, private sector tackle quality of old houses

Concerns on safety, environment impact 

MANILA, Philippines - Addressing the rising housing backlog in the country is not the only challenge facing the government as the quality of old houses is also becoming a growing concern.

The private sector has urged government to not only look at the country’s current 5.5 million to 5.7 million housing backlog but also address the quality of existing housing projects.

“Aside from those that need  new  houses, there are also those that need to be improved on because these are houses that are not safe and not eco-friendly,” Republic Cement and Building Materials Inc. president Renato Sunico said in an interview on the sidelines of the Housing Solutions Congress organized by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP).

“Especially in the province, there are a lot of houses that need to be upgraded. There’s an equally large part of housing that needs refurbishing and repair, not only built,” ECCP president Guenter Taus added.

ECCP and Republic Cement, a CRH-Aboitiz company, both vowed to work with the government in not only helping address the growing housing backlog but also concerns on sustainability.

Taus said through a joint public-private undertaking, the Philippines could come up with workable solutions for building more decent, safe, and affordable housing to the low income population.

“ECCP believes in the need to build sustainable communities that are economically, environmentally and socially healthy and resilient.  It is important to introduce green and innovative housing solutions so that houses are not only affordable but also eco-friendly and resilient to climate change,” Taus said.

The ECCP has earlier called for a need for the country to come out with a clear roadmap on socialized housing while also introducing sustainable building materials.