THE National Housing Authority (NHA) is still a long way from completing the P19.7B Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP), more than eight years after the typhoon devastated the country in November 2013.
As of December 31, 2021, state auditors found that only 156,219 houses have been built or 73 percent of the target number of 212,618. According to the plan, 194,918 housing units (HUs) would be built by the NHA while responsibility for building the remaining 17,700 houses was transferred to local government units.
The NHA even had to reduce the target number by 12,118, citing the increase of building materials, the discovery that some proposed sites were unsuitable, right-of-way issues, and boundary disputes.
Of the completed shelters, only 97,287 are presently occupied while 58,932 units remain empty and unused.
The Commission on Audit has raised concerns that unoccupied houses would fall into disrepair or be taken over by informal settlers.
“The non-occupancy of the completed Hus (housing units) may result in their fast deterioration due to non-maintenance and exposure to risk of invasion by informal settlers and other unauthorized persons,” the audit team said.
Based on the NHA list as of yearend 2021, there were 121,917 units to be built in Region 6 (Western Visayas); 64,151 in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas); 20,418 in Region 7 (Central Visayas); 5,290 in Region 4 (Southern Tagalog); 442 in Region 13 (Caraga); and 400 in Region 5 (Bicol Region).
“Evaluation of the Status of Accomplishment for YPHP disclosed that 63 projects with a total contract of at least P9.898 billion were not completed within the target completion date; nine projects amounting to P2.745 billion were suspended; 46 projects costing P6.965 billion were terminated; while two projects amounting to P115.71 million have not been started,” the COA noted.
Despite failure by contractors to meet the government timetable, auditors noted that the NHA had imposed liquidation in only two projects in 2019 — Carigara Housing Project 1 and Pastrana Ville, both in Leyte province.
“These circumstances indicate management’s lack of monitoring/validation of the status of infrastructure projects and leniency in penalizing the inefficient performance of contractors,” the COA said.
Based on the audit recommendations, the NHA agreed to improve coordination with LGUs and other concerned national agencies to resolve further delays and improve project implementation.
It also assured the COA that erring contractors would face sanctions through imposition of liquidated damages.