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Known as AmBisyon Natin 2040, the Philippine government has adopted a long-term plan that aspires for the country to become a wealthy middle-class society free of poverty by the year 2040. This vision started in 2015, published by the National Economic and Development Authority, which is the country's preeminent socioeconomic planning agency. More than 300 people participated in the discussions for the development of this vision, with tens of thousands more, contributing their thoughts through surveys. Various technical studies were conducted to determine the best course of action for bringing the aspirational vision of the people into reality. An Advisory Committee made up of representatives from the public and business sectors, as well as academia and civil society, advised on the exercise.

AmBisyon Natin 2040 envisions that by the year 2040, all Filipinos will enjoy a stable and comfortable lifestyle, secure in the knowledge that they have enough for their daily needs and unexpected expenses, that they can plan and prepare for their own and their children’s future. Their family will live together in a place of their own and will have the freedom to go wherever they desire, protected and enabled by a clean, efficient, and fair government. To achieve this, both public and private sectors of society should work together to ensure that Filipinos have the opportunity to live their lives to the fullest, and one such sector is concerned with housing and urban development.

Currently, 70 million people in the Philippines live in inadequate housing, and this number is expected to rise to 113 million by 2030. This makes most Filipinos extremely vulnerable to natural disasters. Aside from protection, housing can provide numerous benefits to the country. Households with sufficient space can also aid in the mobility of workers within a society and the ability of economies to adapt to external shocks. An efficient housing market is essential to overall economic health. We can also expect an expansion of the housing market to go hand in hand with economic growth.That is why developments on housing are crucial for the Philippines.

In this article, we would like to focus on the parts of the AmBisyon Natin 2040 vision that states 'their family will live together in a place of their own' and 'enabled by a clean, efficient, and fair government' by tackling topics related to urban housing and development. Things such as standardized materials to be used in construction of buildings and infrastructure. Cheaper and eco-friendly materials that can be used to substitute said materials to accommodate the needs of the middle to lower class families will also be discussed. Additionally, innovations aimed towards housing and urban development plus various government projects and laws pertaining to the topic are also delegated in this article.

Middle-class lifestyle is typically associated with certain goods and services and certain living conditions, such as decent housing, good education, and good and accessible health services. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) envisions Filipinos to live at this level by 2040. However, the prices of core consumption goods and services have risen well above inflation, while middle incomes have been lagging. With those, it can be said that the goal will be very hard to achieve unless some major changes happen in our country. Well, in terms of housing, it can be observed that the geographical polarization of jobs is pushing up housing prices in large urban areas. Moreover, according to the 2016 Construction Cost Handbook of construction consultancy services provider Langdon & Seah Philippines Inc., terraced houses and average standard homes (one to two bedrooms) tend to cost between Php25,700 and Php31,000 per square meter. This is by no means cheap, considering most of those houses have 30 to 49 square-meter floor area.

Today’s housing ideas and materials come from an even more globalized market when compared to the past. Modern houses are usually made of concrete, reinforced steel, or even plastics, while traditional houses may be found made of bricks, wood, and stones. Traditional textiles, such as curtains, also tend to be absent in modern design. Furthermore, decorations in modern houses are being kept to the minimum, as modern architecture leans on minimalism. This is unlike the traditional homes in the previous centuries where interior and exterior decorations, like frieze patterns and wallpaper patterns are heavily emphasized.

These mentioned middle-cost modern houses also offer efficient utilization of space, plenty of natural light, customization, easier maintenance, and energy and environmental efficiency. Moreover, we can also expect them to have a higher factor of safety – the actual load-bearing capacity of a structure or component – thus, making them withstand several dangerous accidents and disasters. With all things mentioned above, we can say that these houses will surely help people have a stable and comfortable lifestyle not only beneficial for them but also for nature.

Surely there are certain standards in middle-cost housing, including the quality and type of materials but innovations which seek to better achieve a stable and comfortable home environment are made every day.

One such innovation is brought to us by Mapua University student Carvey Ehren Maigue, the person who invented "AuREUS", an evolution for walls/windows. The system uses technology synthesized from upcycled crop waste, derived from rotting fruits and vegetables, to absorb stray UV light from sunlight and convert it to clean renewable electricity. It also pushes for better access to solar energy by supporting the local agriculture industry hit by calamities. The system can be used for windows and walls of buildings, tapping it to become sources of renewable energy. The new material absorbs UV light from the sun and converts it to electricity.

The invention won the first-ever global sustainability prize at the James Dyson Award on Thursday, November 19 2020. Maigue said that he got inspiration from the auroras and polar lights for the science behind his invention. Out of 1,800 entries worldwide, Maigue’s AuREUS system was handpicked by inventor James Dyson himself.

“AuREUS is impressive in the way it makes sustainable use of waste crops, but I’m particularly impressed by Carvey’s resolve and determination,” Dyson said.
“As a farmer, I have always been concerned about covering fertile, food-producing, agricultural land in photovoltaic cells. Carvey’s invention demonstrates a convincing way to create clean energy on existing structures, like windows, within cities,” he added.

Innovations like the AuREUS steers the development of urban housing towards enabling Filipinos to achieve Ambisyon 2040. Making the most of housing by using cheaper and eco-friendly materials that are multi-functional.
A stable and comfortable lifestyle that is also sustainable-who would’ve thought!

The Philippines is affected by frequent earthquake activity and roughly 20 typhoons a year, devastating lives, livelihood and houses. According to the country’s largest group of housing developers, the current housing gap is estimated at 4 million units. Because of this, there are alot of different housing programs and laws concerning housing in the country.

The National Housing Authority (NHA) is a government body in the Philippines that provides public housing. With regard to housing building and resettlement, as well as the identification of funding options, the NHA has been tasked with coming up with an all-encompassing strategy that takes into account both public and private sector involvement. Their programs include Resettlement Programs, which addresses the needs of households affected by government infrastructure projects and those who live in or near danger zones. Settlement Upgrading Program, which aims to meet the security of tenure and infrastructure needs of informal settlements on government-owned land that have been declared or designated as socialized housing sites. Government Employee Housing Programs, this initiative aims to provide adequate and cheap housing to low-wage government workers, such as members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor). Lastly, the Housing Assistance for Calamity Victims, that is designed to meet the housing needs of low-income and/or informal settler families who have been displaced from their homes due to natural disasters such as typhoons, landslides, earthquakes, and fires.

Angat Buhay, launched in October 2016, is Vice President Leni Robredo's contribution to the fight against poverty. Food security and nutrition, universal healthcare, public education, rural development, housing and resettlement, and women empowerment are some of the areas where the OVP works with partners to provide solutions and mobilize support. Angat Buhay's housing programs benefited Marawi City and the Bicol Region. The BAHAYanihan program in Bicol gave P15.4 million for construction materials for those living in risk zones, while private-sector donations enabled the construction of 72 temporary shelters for Marawi survivors.

Aside from these housing programs, various laws are also in place to help and support the Filipinos, especially those who are less fortunate with matters regarding their home and settlements. Republic Act No. 9507 states that the state's policy is to continue a program of urban land reform and housing that will provide good housing to impoverished and homeless individuals at an affordable cost. To this goal, a logical debt restructuring and forgiveness program will be implemented, taking into account the borrowers' creditworthiness and credit discipline, as well as the lending institutions' financial stability. There is also the Republic Act No 11201, which says that the state should ensure that the poor and homeless have access to appropriate, safe, secure, habitable, sustainable, resilient, and cheap housing. To add, Republic Act No. 7279 aims to uplift the conditions of the underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban areas and in resettlement areas. It also aims to optimize the use and productivity of land and urban resources. These are only a few of the RAs that are currently being implemented in the country.

Housing and Urban development is one of the sectors we should divert our attention to in order to realize a prosperous middle class society in alignment with Ambisyon Natin 2040. Inadequate housing endangers 70 million Filipinos and this number is predicted to grow by 2030. Substandard houses are vulnerable to the Philippines' characteristic yearly typhoons; it can also impede the mobility of workers within a society and the ability of economies to adapt to external shocks.

There are alot of different housing programs and laws concerning housing in the country. One such program is the Government Employee Housing Program with its initiative aiming to provide adequate and cheap housing to low-wage government workers. NGO’s are also working hand-in-hand to furthering Ambisyon Natin 2040 with the Angat program that seeks to combat the countries’ poverty. Success of projects in the urban and housing sector is substantial. A strong example from the NGO is Angat Buhay's housing programs that benefited Marawi City and the Bicol Region. The BAHAYanihan program in Bicol gave P15.4 million for construction materials for those living in risk zones, while private-sector donations enabled the construction of 72 temporary shelters for Marawi survivors.

Most designs are minimalistic in accordance with modern preference. These mentioned middle-cost modern houses also offer efficient utilization of space. Furthermore, to save up on electric cost in the long run, homeowners are eyeing new innovations like the AuREUS for walls/windows. The new material absorbs UV light from the sun and converts it to electricity.

The tools at our dispersal are knowledge and innovation. Aside from the computations of material strength and cost, geometric and numerical patterns to identify and continue a pattern can be used. We must be able to utilize the knowledge of patterns to evaluate economic growth and test a conjecture about how housing should be designed in such a way that leaves space for economic growth and the changes it brings.

For stable and sustainable housing and urban development.
Sulong Ambisyon Natin 2040!