Substandard Low Cost Housing Units Competes in the Construction Boom

The construction industry in the Philippines continues to grow despite of the intense competition and the limited available space, not to mention the high costs of labor and construction materials. The growing demand for affordable housing units prompted the developers and construction builders to convert agricultural lands and geologically hazardous lands into prime lands.

The converted prime lands sit the majestically and intricately defined subdivisions where picturesque low cost housing units are built. But behind those colorfully painted houses with matching green lawns, plants and flowers, hidden are hush-hush structural defects.

Most of these low cost housing units are bungalow type and was built in such a way that it has no four corner columns. The hollow blocks used were just interlocked and plainly covered by concrete plastering. The reinforced bars inadvertently used without following the proper or exact specifications and spacing. Sometimes, horizontal and vertical reinforced bars are not even used.

So, once these low cost housing units occupied it deteriorates fast or in some instances easily destroyed by natural calamities like typhoon, heavy flooding, landslide and earthquake. The high demand in affordable housing units continue to attract the middle class and the Overseas Filipino Workers not knowing that they are investing their money to substandard housing units which in the end could become a nightmare instead of a dream house.

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