The houses are up, the roads are paved, and construction is ongoing, but cracks found in some duplex units at a socialized housing project in Barangay 3, Himamaylan City, have raised concerns about the structural safety of the buildings, particularly after the site was identified as potentially exposed to the West Negros Fault.
The Brigada News FM-Kabankalan team spotted the cracks during a site inspection on Wednesday, November 11, as part of its continuing investigation into seven delayed projects flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
A check through HazardHunterPH following the inspection revealed another concern: the project area is identified in relation to the West Negros Fault (WNF), which the government platform classifies as a “potentially” active fault.
HazardHunterPH, developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), provides site-specific information on natural hazards.
According to a published study, the WNF could generate an earthquake with a maximum magnitude of 6.9. That’s as strong as the quake that hit Bogo, Cebu in 2025, killing more than 70 people and affecting 666,439 individuals.
In a video posted by CDN Digital, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol warned against building houses and other structures directly on fault lines because of the danger during earthquakes.
He recommended an avoidance distance of at least five meters.
Meanwhile, a structural engineer must examine the cracks. It remains unclear whether these are minor concrete defects or signs of more serious construction problems.
COA flagged 603-day delay
The socialized housing was first funded through a P219.799-million housing development loan and was among the seven projects flagged by COA in its 2025 Annual Audit Report for implementation delays.
The seven projects have a combined contract cost of about P398.4 million and are part of the city’s LandBank-funded development program.
COA reported that the housing project incurred a 603-day delay, even after its completion schedule was extended to December 19, 2025. Auditors also described it as partially functional during their assessment.
During Wednesday’s inspection, the news team saw dozens of duplex houses already standing, paved roads, and continuing construction. But the condition of the cracked structures and the site’s geological safety remain to be established.
More project funding
Aside from the LandBank financing linked to the COA-flagged projects, the city also announced successive funding commitments for its 11-hectare housing development.
In December 2022, SunStar Bacolod reported that the city broke ground on a socialized housing development, with an additional P280-million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) secured and ratified by the Sangguniang Panlungsod to fund the project.
In January 2024, the city also announced plans to build an initial 3,000 condominium-type units under the national government’s Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) Program, with the first phase estimated to cost P5.5 billion.
However, how these initiatives relate to the LandBank-funded housing contract flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) remains unclear.
It remains unclear whether these were separate projects or successive phases of a single housing development.
ECC secured, but safety questions remain
Brigada News Philippines has obtained a copy of the project’s approved Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), confirming that it secured environmental clearance.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) granted the city an ECC dated February 16, 2023, covering 71,677 square meters, or approximately 7.1 hectares, within portions of Lot No. 246, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. 091-2022001473, and Lot No. 2459, covered by TCT No. 091-2022001474.
According to the project description in the approved ECC, the development includes 487 socialized housing lots, ranging from 48 to 70 square meters, with one-storey houses occupying 25,648 square meters; a commercial area covering 24,842 square meters; a park and playground (2,534 square meters); community facilities (718 square meters); a road system (17,484 square meters); drainage canals (449 square meters); individual septic tanks; and a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
However, if the proposed 11-hectare development is fully utilized, its total area would exceed the ECC’s approved coverage by nearly four hectares. Any expansion beyond the 7.1 hectares authorized under the certificate would require clarification on whether additional environmental clearance is necessary.
An ECC, meanwhile, does not automatically guarantee the structural integrity of the housing units or establish that the property is free from geological hazards.
Mayor, agencies yet to respond
The station has repeatedly visited City Hall to seek comment from Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson on the delayed projects, including the housing development, as well as the reported sinking of a dredger acquired through a LandBank loan in 2022.
The mayor had not responded to the team’s requests as of broadcast time.
Brigada News Philippines has also reached out to the MGB and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for clarification on the property’s geological conditions and the project’s compliance with housing and safety requirements.
Neither agency had responded as of broadcast time.
Moreover, the station will publish updates once responses of the concerned agencies become available.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, contributes to Negros Daily Bulletin, and maintains a blog on Medium.