BUILDING RESILIENCE IN URBAN SETTLEMENT: POLICY ANALYSIS ON DISASTER-RESISTANT HOUSING STANDARDS

This paper examined the implementation of disaster-resistant housing standards in urban settlements in the Philippine
through a policy analysis of Republic Act 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010)
and Presidential Decree 1096 (National Building Code of the Philippines). Using a systematic review approach, thirty
(30) publications met the eligibility criteria. The studies consisted of qualitative (53%), quantitative (33%), and mixedmethod (14%) designs, with data drawn from both primary (43%) and secondary (57%) sources. Using a qualitative
research design, the study analyzed policy documents, local ordinances, and key-informant interviews from selected
local government units (LGUs). Based on the analysis, six (6) key factors affecting the implementation of disasterresistant housing standards were identified. These include LGU enforcement capacity, institutional coordination,
resource allocation, technical expertise, community awareness, and compliance monitoring mechanisms. Six (6)
recurring implementation gaps also emerged, such as weak policy enforcement at the local level, limited funding for
housing programs, lack of technical personnel, inadequate building inspection systems, informal settlement
challenges, and poor inter-agency coordination between national and local agencies. The study further revealed that
while comprehensive legal frameworks exist under RA 10121 and PD 1096, persistent ‘implementation deficits’
continue to undermine the translation of national mandates into safe and disaster-resilient housing for vulnerable urban
communities. These findings underscore the need for strengthened LGU capacity-building, improved policy
coherence, and sustained investment in disaster-resistant housing initiatives.