A shocking report has resurfaced, capturing public attention and highlighting a stark failure in governance: the discovery of a “ghost town” in Zamboanga City, Philippines. This vast housing development, initiated during the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, now stands derelict—a silent, decaying testament to broken promises meant for hundreds of Filipino families.
What should have been a vibrant community is instead an eerie, desolate landscape. From a distance, the project might resemble a typical, quiet subdivision. Yet, upon closer inspection, the silence is deafening. Not a single soul is stirring. Houses stand with gaping holes where windows and doors should be, many lacking roofs entirely. Structures are being rapidly swallowed by overgrown weeds, presenting a painful visual record of neglect.
The $100 Million Project Stalls
According to reports from local news outlets, the development was part of the Government Employees Housing Program, initially funded with ₱100 million (approximately $2 million) in 2020. The original timeline mandated its completion before President Duterte stepped down. However, five years later, only just over 100 units have been completed out of the planned 413. Worse still, only about 50 of those completed houses are occupied. The rest remain hollow, lifeless shells, directionless and forgotten.
“This is not just about unfinished roads or flood control,” stated a local resident in an interview. “It’s about housing—hundreds of homes left incomplete. It feels like a cemetery here. You see no people, only broken structures and rampant weeds.”
Funding Gaps and Accountability Issues
The most infuriating aspect is that this project, financed by millions in taxpayer money, has essentially been rendered useless. Following the initial 2020 outlay, reports indicate that the national government ceased providing further funding to complete the undertaking. This financial withdrawal forced the contractor to use their own resources to continue partial construction, but even this was insufficient to meet the target of over 400 houses.
The National Housing Authority (NHA) had reportedly considered partnering with the Pag-IBIG Fund as a financial arm to complete the remaining units. However, this plan seems to have stalled due to a lack of funds and the difficulty of compelling beneficiaries to enter into new loan agreements.
Further compounding the issue, the Commission on Audit (COA) report in 2023 highlighted that the NHA failed to meet its goal of addressing the housing needs of 50% of low-income families by the end of 2019. Only 81% of target housing units were constructed, and the agency’s collection efficiency rate remains low, suggesting that even completed projects are not fully utilized.
“Where did the money go? If the project was truly funded in 2020, why is there no result?” questioned a vlogger covering the issue. “Was there an anomaly? Did someone profit from public funds?”
Quality Concerns and the Search for Solutions
While some point the finger at the contractors and officials involved during the Duterte administration, others argue that the current administration under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. should have immediately taken steps to rescue the project and assist the hopeful beneficiaries.
For the few families who have managed to move into the completed units, the relief is short-lived. They are grappling with poor quality construction, citing leaks in bathrooms and roof defects. Moreover, the area suffers from incomplete infrastructure, with residents facing sporadic water and electricity supply due to unfinished connections.
“Our water isn’t properly connected yet. Sometimes we have water, often we don’t. It’s very difficult,” another resident lamented.
The project, which was supposed to embody the Filipino dream of homeownership, has tragically become a symbol of government indifference. Instead of fostering hope, it has bred anxiety and deep disappointment.
As the investigation continues, the public’s central questions remain: What happened to the ₱100 million? Why were these homes left to crumble into dust? Who will be held accountable?
Housing projects are meant to be the cornerstone of citizens’ security and proof of government compassion for the homeless. In the case of the Zamboanga ghost town, the opposite is true. This development serves as a critical, high-profile reminder that transparency and accountability in the use of public funds are non-negotiable. For every pillar left unfinished, a family remains unsheltered; for every wall left unbuilt, a dream is deferred.
Netizens and local communities express a powerful, shared sentiment: “It may be a ghost town now, but we hope it can be brought back to life—not as a monument to failure, but as proof that the government can rectify its own mistakes.” A nation that demands truth and accountability is a nation that truly progresses.