In November 2013, Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), the strongest storm on record, swept through the Pacific, leaving a broad scar of untold devastation in its wake. The Philippines bore the brunt of the superstorm, and its direct path – the city of Tacloban – was almost entirely flattened.
In its aftermath, Yolanda caused damage to more than 1 million homes. One of the most affected provinces, Leyte, saw 550, 928 houses that were totally damaged. A final report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) revealed that the typhoon caused widespread destruction, especially in coastal areas.
Many houses that were wiped out by Yolanda were built within the coastal areas and no-build zones, leading to both challenges and opportunities for relocation and reconstruction. This highlighted the vulnerability of the community in coastal areas, spurring efforts to relocate families to safer zones.
Following the devastation, the national government declared a 40-meter no-build zone along the coastlines of Eastern Samar and Leyte, among the worst-hit provinces.
Since the majority of the damaged houses at the height of Yolanda were mostly makeshift structures made of light materials, high-rise buildings could offer a solution for typhoon-prone areas in the country. These buildings provide vertical space and help mitigate some of the risks linked with typhoons and flooding.
While this may not be a complete solution, high-rise structures can be designed to endure strong winds and rain, while their height can safeguard residents from rising floodwaters.
Launched three years ago, the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program are medium-rise and high-rise residential buildings that could potentially provide long-term solutions in flood-prone and typhoon-prone areas in our country.
The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) said that at least two cities and ten towns in Eastern Visayas have officially partnered with their agency for the 4PH projects in their respective localities. These are Ormoc City; the towns of Palo, Alangalang, Kananga, Mahaplag, Macarthur, Sta. Fe and Mayorga in Leyte, and Catbalogan City, Guiuan, Lavezares, and Motiong in Samar.
“These areas will soon witness the development of mid to high-rise housing projects aimed at providing homes for families currently without adequate housing”, the DHSUD said in a statement.
It appears that these areas are prone to typhoons and flooding, prompting them to tap the 4PH program to protect their community from future natural disasters. These housing units offer resilient shelter, shielding residents from strong winds and rampaging floodwaters.
