Context

The housing situation in the PHILIPPINES is characterized by a growing population, a disorganized land market and a much-layered land tenure system. This translates to a lack of affordable housing that reduces the living standard of the poor and contributes to the growth of informal settlements, also known as squatter settlements. 

In places such as squatter settlements where there is uncertain legal status of the land, urban infrastructure is weak or non-existent because local authorities are unwilling or unable to make adequate capital investments. As of 2002, the percentage of households that remain without access to safe water supply, sanitary toilet facilities, or secure tenure continues to hover at 20% of the total number of households nationwide. Water authorities, for instance, refuse to extend water networks to housing areas where legal status is uncertain. 

This leaves residents with the burden of getting water from a considerable distance or from a delivery service at a higher price than piped water.

Shortages of affordable housing also constrain gainful employment when people have to travel a long distance to their place of employment.  High public transport costs to less expensive residences in the suburbs eat up major portions of already inadequate earnings, pushing low-paid workers to set up makeshift housing within the city limits. Such provisional housing often becomes part of permanent, poorly-serviced settlements.

With a poverty rate of more than 28% in a population of 84 million, providing affordable housing in livable environments will remain a challenge for years to come.

Staff

 

Executive Director   

SARAH REDOBLADO, Architect

Training Officer

NICASIO DE ROSAS

Project Management Consultant

MA. CHERYL PRUDENTE

Administrative and Finance Officer

MARILYN "MARIE" PAZ

Research and Training Assistant

Bernard Apuli

 

Board of Directors

 

PROF. ERNESTO SEROTE, chairperson of the board

A planner, author and Associate Professor of the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning.

SARAH REDOBLADO

An architect and ALTERPLAN’s current Executive Director

ATTY. MARVIC LEONEN

Vice President for Legal Affairs of the University of the Philippines, advocate of the environment and indigenous communities

MA. ESPERANZA VALENCIA

An architect - builder and pioneer of ALTERPLAN

MA. CECILIA GENZOLA 

A life-long social development worker and former Executive Director of the Muntinlupa Development Foundation

ANNA MA. GONZALES

An architect - planner, poet, current Executive Director of the Consuelo "Chito" Madrigal Foundation and former Executive Director of ALTERPLAN