SOUTHVILLE 8B NATIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (NHA) RESETTLEMENT SITE

LOCATION
Situated in Barangay San Isidro, Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal, on the outskirts of Metro Manila. The
site was selected as part of a relocation hub serving communities cleared across Metro Manila.

NEARBY FACILITIES
Facility Type Name / Example Estimated Distance

Hospital Rodriguez District Hospital 5 km

School Southville 8B Elementary School Inside the site

Southville 8B National High School Inside the site

Public Market San Jose Public Market, Rodriguez 6 km

Transport Hub Rodriguez Public Transport Terminal 6 km

Government Barangay Hall of San Jose 6 km

Work/Industrial Construction, retail, and informal jobs in 5–8 km

Recreational Avilon Zoo, Rodriguez 7 km

BACKGROUND
Established by the National Housing Authority (NHA) as part of a resettlement program for families
displaced by urban fires, infrastructure projects, and demolitions across Metro Manila. The relocation
initiative began around 2011 when thousands of informal settler families, some from areas such as North
Triangle in Quezon City, Navotas, and sites affected by disasters like Typhoon Ondoy, were moved to this
area to provide safer housing opportunities (Alojado, 2013; Housing and Urban Development Coordinating
Council, 2010). The site was designed to accommodate up to 12,000 households, with roughly 8,000
already relocated as part of this effort, serving as a regional relocation hub for displaced families (Alojado,
2013).

TYPES OF RESIDENTS
1.​ Low-income, but mostly Middle-income families – Primarily consisting of informal settler
families (ISFs) relocated from danger zones such as riverbanks, esteros, and railway tracks in
Metro Manila.
2.​ Displaced urban poor – Families affected by government infrastructure projects or demolition
activities in highly urbanized areas.
3.​ Vulnerable groups – Including senior citizens, single parents, and persons with disabilities who
were living in unsafe or unsanitary housing conditions.

SPACES / ENVIRONMENT
The site includes several basic facilities planned by the NHA that aim to support community life. These
include roads, pedestrian circulation zones, either piped or communal water provision, power supply,
schools, playgrounds or basketball courts, and possibly livelihood or community centers. However, the
real-life situation tells a more complex story. Reports show that essential services such as electricity and
water access are inconsistent. Electricity is often delivered through a sub-meter system managed by
private contractors, leading to high fees and intermittent service. Safe drinking water is also a problem,
residents sometimes get sick from the water or must pay extra for clean water. Education facilities exist,
Southville 8B has both an elementary and high school on site. But they struggle with overcrowding and lack
resources; parents describe situations like one classroom holding 100–150 students and children bringing
their own chairs to school. Healthcare is limited. While there may be nearby health centers, they offer only
basic first aid. More comprehensive care requires expensive trips to private clinics, often beyond the
financial capacity of residents.

Feature Status / Condition

Basic Infrastructure Roads, access, water, power - planned, but inconsistent and
sometimes costly to residents

Utilities Power is often erratic and expensive; water quality is poor and not
always safe

Education Facilities On-site elementary and high school exist but suffer overcrowding and
lack of resources

Healthcare Access Only minimal basic services; residents rely on private clinics which are
expensive
 Community / Recreational Covered courts and multipurpose spaces used actively for programs
Space and events

AFFORDABILITY
Housing Type Average Selling Price (₱) Notes

Row-House Around ₱200,000 20–25 sqm units in cluster model, based on NHA
(Socialized Housing) MRH Design Model-1

Apartment Unit Around ₱600,000 Includes loft; NHA MRH Design Model-2 pricing
(5-storey MRH)

Southville 7 (Near ₱75,000 – ₱90,000 Estimated construction cost per unit, not selling
Southville 8B) (construction cost) price, but indicates low-cost nature of build

Based on the gathered data, the horizontal housing developments in Rizal, can generally be considered
affordable for middle-income households. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2023), the
average monthly income of middle-class households allows them to secure mortgage financing for
properties in this range, especially with government-backed housing loan programs such as those from
Pag-IBIG Fund.
IS SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERED?

Southville 8B is not sustainable overall. While some design intentions and features touch on
sustainability, the project has critical flaws that outweigh these strengths.

Aspect Sustainability Explanation

Urban Planning Not fully The BLISS program’s urban planning approach focused
& Masterplan sustainable primarily on maximizing the number of housing units in limited
government-acquired land, which often resulted in high-density,
compact settlements with insufficient allocation for open and
green spaces. Sustainable urban planning principles such as
integrating parks, permeable surfaces, and biodiversity
corridors, were generally not prioritized. This lack of green space
reduced opportunities for natural cooling, urban heat island
mitigation, and community recreation. Additionally, the
masterplans often did not include adequate transport integration
for pedestrians and cyclists, leading to greater reliance on
motorized transport, which increases carbon emissions.

House Design Not fully BLISS housing units were typically standardized, low-rise, and
sustainable small in floor area, often around 20–40 square meters per unit.
While this standardization reduced costs and construction time,
it failed to account for passive design principles that respond to
local climate. Roof overhangs were minimal, window placements
were not optimized for cross-ventilation, and orientation often
ignored solar path considerations. Sustainable house design
ideally maximizes natural airflow, daylight, and thermal comfort
to minimize energy use, but BLISS units frequently require
mechanical cooling and artificial lighting. Designs were rigid and
lacked adaptability, meaning households had limited ability to
modify structures for improved energy efficiency or climate
responsiveness.
Building Partially Construction often used concrete hollow blocks (CHB), steel
Materials sustainable reinforcements, and corrugated G.I. roofing - materials that
were durable and locally available in the Philippines, which
minimized the need for imported resources. This partially aligns
with sustainability by supporting local supply chains and
reducing transportation-related emissions. However, CHB and
steel have high embodied energy (energy used during material
extraction and production), which contributes to carbon
emissions. No significant use of renewable, low-carbon, or
recycled materials was reported. Additionally, the roofing
materials often had poor insulation properties, leading to heat
retention and increased indoor temperatures, which counteracts
sustainable thermal performance.

Energy Not The BLISS program was implemented in the late 1970s to early
Efficiency sustainable 1980s - before energy efficiency became a major design priority
in housing. As such, there was no integration of renewable
energy sources like solar panels or wind-powered systems.
The housing units lacked energy-efficient appliances, insulation,
or window glazing to reduce heat gain. Poor orientation and
small openings meant that many households relied heavily on
electric fans or, later, air-conditioning units to maintain comfort,
leading to higher electricity consumption. In sustainable housing
design, energy efficiency reduces environmental impact and
operational costs, but BLISS did not incorporate these features
in its baseline planning.

Ventilation & Limited Most units had small, uniform windows, often located only on
Lighting sustainability one side of the dwelling, which severely restricted
cross-ventilation. Cross-ventilation is critical in tropical climates
to dissipate heat naturally, yet the compact layouts of BLISS
homes meant that airflow was minimal. The limited window size
also restricted natural daylight penetration, forcing residents to
rely on artificial lighting even during daytime. This not only
increased energy consumption but also reduced overall indoor
comfort. While some ventilation was possible through jalousie or
awning windows, their placement and size were insufficient for
optimal natural cooling.
 Environmental Not From an ecological standpoint, the BLISS program lacked
Impact sustainable environmental integration strategies. Most sites did not
include provisions for rainwater harvesting, stormwater
management, or waste segregation systems—elements now
considered essential for sustainable housing. The removal of
natural vegetation during site clearing and minimal tree planting
contributed to reduced biodiversity and increased surface runoff,
which could lead to localized flooding. Without permeable
pavements or green infrastructure, these developments
contributed to urban heat islands and water management
challenges. Moreover, there was no clear plan for sustainable
waste management within the communities, further impacting
environmental health.

REFERENCES

Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council. (2010, October 22). BINAY – relocation still open to
North Triangle settlers; improvements in living conditions pushed. Retrieved from
https://www.hudcc.gov.ph/pr102210

Alojado, L. H. (2013). Background of the location. Scribd. Retrieved from

National Housing Authority. (2009). Building Homes, Building Lives: The Power to Build (NHA community
project components and facilities overview). Retrieved from
https://www.scribd.com/document/459936826/201204-socialized-housing-program

De Jesus, L. (2012). Sorry conditions in urban poor relocation site [Fact-finding report]. Bulatlat. Retrieved
from https://www.bulatlat.com/2012/03/03/sorry-conditions-in-urban-poor-relocation-site

Ellison, K., et al. (2024). Risk reduction through managed retreat? Investigating enabling conditions for
voluntary relocation in the Philippines. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 24, 2243–2260.
Retrieved from https://nhess.copernicus.org/articles/24/2243/2024/nhess-24-2243-2024.pdf

Earth System Science Center (ESSC). (2013). Government resettlement sites in Rodriguez and Tanay,
Rizal. Retrieved from https://essc.org.ph/content/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Fact-Sheet-Rodriguez.pdf

Alampay, E., & Hontiveros, M. (2021). Informal settlement resilience upgrading—Approaches and
Sustainability, 14(15), 8985. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/8985