Impacts of resident-initiated housing modifications in resettlement sites in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines

Abstract

The unprecedented destruction caused by Typhoon Washi triggered a large-scale resettlement program in the city of Cagayan de Oro. For the process of resettlement, the priority was a top-down coordination and decision making, where the participation of local communities was neglected. Consequently, there was a limited understanding of the beneficiaries' needs and the local conditions. After the beneficiaries occupied the new settlements, they expressed willingness to compensate the shortcomings of the provided houses starting the construction of extensions. The local government prohibited these constructions arguing that residents may recreate unsafe and precarious pre-disaster housing conditions. These claims contrast with those of researchers who consider that resident-initiated housing extensions may contribute to community development and empowerment. Our paper focuses on the analysis of the actual situation of four villages located in Calaanan resettlement site in Cagayan de Oro. The aim of the paper is to identify the pros and cons of the building of resident-initiated extensions and to determine whether there are vulnerabilities created that may lead to the creation of unsafe environments. The findings reveal that the building of housing extensions is unavoidable since they are the result of the priorities of the residents and are the expression of residents’ capacities and willingness to improve their living conditions. In contrast, this study found deficiencies in the construction where the conventional materials were used. Thus, it is crucial to provide guidelines to enable support for better building practices involving different stakeholders, where residents must play an active role in the process.