A startling revelation has recently gripped the public, focusing on a massive, abandoned housing project in Zamboanga City. What was meant to be a beacon of hope for hundreds of Filipino families has instead become a sprawling monument to neglect, now eerily dubbed a “ghost town.”
The development, initiated during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, stands derelict—a silent cemetery of broken promises.
The Eerie Silence of Abandonment
At first glance, the site could be mistaken for a quiet, typical subdivision. However, closer inspection reveals a deafening silence. There are no residents. The housing units—intended for government employees—are largely incomplete: many lack roofs, windows, and doors, while others are mere skeletal structures being slowly consumed by weeds and overgrowth. It is a profoundly sad portrait of public sector failure.
According to reports from ABS-CBN and other news outlets, the project was part of the Government Employees Housing Program, initially funded with ₱100 million in 2020. The goal was to complete the development before the end of the Duterte term. Yet, five years later, only just over 100 units have been completed out of the planned 413. Crucially, only about 50 of these homes are occupied, leaving the majority vacant, lifeless, and directionless.
“This isn’t just about roads or flood control. Even the housing, our basic need, was left unfinished,” lamented one local resident in an interview. “It feels like a cemetery here. You see no people, just damaged houses and overgrown weeds.”
The Funding Freeze and Contractor’s Burden
The public outcry is fueled by the knowledge that this project, financed by hundreds of millions of pesos in taxpayer money, has essentially been wasted. Reports indicate that following the 2020 appropriation, the national government failed to allocate any further funds to complete the project.
This forced the contractor to reportedly use personal funds to push forward with a fraction of the construction. However, the contractor stated that the funds were woefully insufficient to reach the target of over 400 homes.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) had reportedly intended to integrate the Pag-IBIG Fund as a financial partner to underwrite the completion of the remaining units. This plan, however, seems to have stalled, reportedly due to insufficient financing and difficulties in persuading potential beneficiaries to enter into the necessary loan agreements.
The issue is compounded by findings from the Commission on Audit (COA) in 2023, which noted that the NHA failed to meet its objective of addressing the housing needs of 50% of homeless low-income families by the end of 2019. Only 81% of the targeted units were constructed, and the agency’s collection efficiency rate remains low, suggesting even completed projects are not fully utilized.
Accountability and Political Hot Potato
The abandonment has inevitably led to questions of accountability. “The pain of this is that the money was there, so where did it go? If it was genuinely funded in 2020, why are there no results? Was there an anomaly? Did anyone benefit from public funds?” questioned a popular vlogger covering the issue.
While some critics point fingers at the contractors and officials who oversaw the project under the previous administration, others argue that the incumbent administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should have immediately taken steps to rescue the project and help the beneficiaries who continue to wait for their homes.
“It looks like BBM will have to clean up this mess,” the vlogger remarked. “How do we handle these inherited projects? They need to be fixed right from the start.”
Compounding the problem, even the families currently occupying the completed units are facing quality control issues. “The bathroom leaks, the roof is damaged. We hope it can still be fixed,” said one resident. Furthermore, basic utility services remain unreliable, with significant issues concerning water and electricity supply due to incomplete connections.
A Call for Transparency and Resilience
The project that was supposed to fulfill the dreams of many Filipinos has instead become a symbol of administrative failure. Rather than inspiring hope, it has bred anxiety and deep disappointment.
As investigations continue, the public demands answers: Where did the ₱100 million go? Why were these homes left to crumble? Who will be held accountable?
Housing projects are meant to be a government’s testament to its compassion for the homeless. The Zamboanga “ghost town,” however, suggests the opposite. This situation serves as a stark reminder that transparency and accountability in the use of public funds are non-negotiable.
“For every pillar left unfinished, there is a family without shelter. For every wall not built, there is a dream unfulfilled,” concluded a local commentary. The people’s hope is that the “ghost town” can be brought back to life—not as a monument to defeat, but as evidence that the government is capable of rectifying its own costly failings.