House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

Speaker Martin Romualdez has reiterated his commitment to advocating for disaster preparedness and recovery programs in his job as leader of the House of Representatives. 

Romualdez had this to say on Friday, Jan 17 as he and President Marcos led the turnover of completed Yolanda Permanent Housing Program (YPHP) Projects in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, and Biliran. 

The event, held at the Burauen Community College Multi-Purpose Gym, Burauen, Leyte also included the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA )and Deed of Donation and Acceptance (DODA).

“Patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga programang magbibigay ng seguridad at katiyakan sa ating mga kababayan,” said Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district representative.

(We will continue to pursue programs that will provide security and certainty to our countrymen.)

“Ang bawat tahanan ay simbolo ng pag-asa, at ang bawat proyektong ito ay patunay ng ating sama-samang pagsusumikap para sa mas magandang kinabukasan,” the Speaker added. 

(Each home is a symbol of hope, and projects like these are proof of our collective efforts for a brighter tomorrow.)

Yolanda (international name Haiyan), considered a Category 5 typhoon, was one of the most powerful typhoons to ever hit the country.

It struck Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013, and leveled most of whatever structure was standing in the region. This was especially true in Tacloban City, Leyte, which practically served as ground zero of the disaster.

The Yolanda death toll was pegged at over 6,000.

The YPHP turnover included completed housing units in the following communities:

1. Cool Spring Residences (Burauen Housing Project) in Burauen, Leyte

2. Riverside Community Residences (Tabontabon Housing Project) in Tabontabon, Leyte

3. Mont Village Subdivision in Tanauan, Leyte

4. Coconut Grove Village in Julita, Leyte

5. Marabut Village Sites 1 and 2 in Marabut, Samar

6. Pastrana Ville in Pastrana, Leyte

7. Dagami Town Ville in Dagami, Leyte

8. Culaba Housing Project in Culaba, Biliran

According to the National Housing Authority (NHA), it had completed 175,728 out of 189,800 target units as of December 2024, including the 3,517 units in Friday’s ceremonial turnover.

The 14,072 remaining units are expected to be completed by December 2025.

Around 67 percent or 133,725 of the completed housing units were already awarded to, and occupied by, beneficiaries.