BANISHING THE BARONG BARONG : A LOOK AT JEJOMAR BINAY �S HOUSING PLAN FOR THE

Abstract

This paper introduces a method of cataloguing and assessing the performance of low cost building technologies used by NGOs in the Philippines. This exploration was precipitated by Vice President Jejomar Binay’s plan, announced in April 2011, to build 3.6 million units in 10 years to address the country’s housing backlog. Binay’s slant of using Sweat Equity, in the manner of Gawad Kalinga(GK), the NGO, appears to encourage the viability of this project, reducing the financial pressure of this expensive endeavour on the government. Given the specific context of participation, and the large-scale nature of this effort, this paper deemed it essential to derive a system to determine material choices for individual sites. This reduces the over-dependence of the project on a single material and thus increases its feasibility. With field work done from November 2010 to April 2011. With this tool, the paper assesses the potential of three building technologies: the conventional Concrete Hollow Block(CHB) and two alternative technologies, Steel ‘C’ Channels with Hardiflex Panelling and Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks(ICEBs). It finds ICEBs to present a more sustainable technology and investigates the extent to which the technology can be implemented in the country.