Mayor Vico Sotto‘s Pasig City is testing a housing model aimed at two persistent city problems: plastic waste and the lack of temporary shelter for families affected by redevelopment.
The Pasig City government received a prototype modular house made from recycled plastic boards from the Nordic Council of Ministers, developed with Evergreen Labs Philippines using its ReForm Plastic Technology. The unit was presented during a site visit and turnover at Pasig Bliss Village III in Maybunga on Monday, April 20.
The unit is built from durable boards made of recycled plastic waste. Pasig said construction can be completed in about two weeks, giving the city a faster option for temporary shelter while long-term projects are underway.
The structure is intended for informal settler families who may need to leave their homes temporarily while housing and infrastructure projects are carried out in their communities. Pasig said it plans to replicate the model to provide transition housing for ISFs who will voluntarily relocate to give way to these developments.
Each unit has a floor area of 18 square meters. It includes a dining area, kitchen, toilet and an elevated space that functions as both a living area during the day and a sleeping area at night.
Sotto said the model could help the city move forward with upgrades without leaving residents without shelter. “This modular model may prove to be key as we upgrade communities, by serving as good temporary housing units while the communities’ original areas undergo infrastructure work,” he said.
City officials and representatives from Sweden, Denmark and Norway attended the presentation. Pasig said the project could shape how it handles relocation, housing upgrades and plastic waste within one program.
