I.

INTRODUCTION

The Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI), a national network of

urban poor associations in the Philippines and together with its technical support
organization, the Philippine Action for Community-Led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. (PACSII)
have been working towards securing land and housing tenurial for the poor. These two
organizations collectively known as the Philippine Alliance, was chosen as the 3rd local
implementing partners of the Community-Led Infrastructure Finance Facility Housing
Project (CLIFF). CLIFF is an international programme that aimed to build the capacities of
organized urban poor communities in demonstrating community-designed strategies in
addressing slum problems through a finance facility. The first CLIFF project is in Kenya,
second in India and third in the Philippines, all are partner-countries of the Slum Dwellers
International (SDI).1

In the Philippines, CLIFF intends to provide low-cost, affordable houses for the urban
poor through housing loan. Being the pilot city that applies people’s process in housing
provision, the Alliance has undertaken to sub-projects to initiate the process:

 CLIFF Phase I: KABALAKA Demonstration Housing Project is a pilot project in

Zone 1, Brgy. Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City wherein 21 housing units were built for
the vulnerable group2 and pioneer members of KABALAKA Phase I Homeowner’s
Association, Inc. This project has tested people’s process in planning, design,
procurement, financial management, actual construction and over-all project
management in housing initiative.

 CLIFF Phase II: Community-Managed Resettlement Housing Project, the second

phase and massive scale of CLIFF involving the construction of 172 housing units in
a government-relocation site in San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City, using the Interlocking
Compressed Earth Block (ICEB) as main building material for housing. This project
is primarily intended for families directly affected by the Iloilo Flood Control Project
(IFCP)3.

In an attempt to come up with a consolidated socio-economic background and

affordability level, the project implementers created this master list of all CLIFF applicants,
both for the KABALAKA and the San Isidro Housing Project.

The masterlist contains vital information of the CLIFF applicants culled-out from the
different application and screening forms used by the representatives of Iloilo City Urban

1
SDI is a transnational network of local slum dweller organizations that have come together at the city and national level to form
federations of the urban poor, where Kenya, India and Philippines are active members.
2
Vulnerable group refers to …..
3
The Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP) is a project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Iloilo City, Philippines.
The project aims to reduce flood damage, which has been an almost yearly occurrence. Total budget is Php4.3B financed by the Japan
Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC).
Poor Network4 in prequalification and qualification stages. These forms include Application-
Survey, Validation, Panel Interview and Household Income and Expenditure/Affordability
Surveys as documentary requirements.

This masterlist is useful as a tool for HPFPI- PACSII Iloilo for easy access of
information about the applicants’ general profile, their affordability to repay the loan, ability
to provide labor equity requirement, and highlight the reasons of backing out from availing
the loan. Relevant information can also be drawn-out from the masterlist as reference for the
local government and other shelter agencies in identifying and prioritizing urban poor
communities who are in need for free or low-cost shelter.

How did the KABALAKA application and screening processes differ with CLIFF-San
Isidro experiences?

The mobilization of KABALAKA Housing applicants during application and screening stages
was easy since they started as savings groups and later organized to form the KABALAKA
Homeowner’s Association. Pioneer KABALAKA HOA and Vulnerable group members were
recommended by the association to the Iloilo City Urban Poor Network to apply for the CLIFF
project. They were required to submit their general profile which includes basic household
information (household size, income sources and monthly family income), affordability for
CLIFF loan repayment, and willingness to extend volunteer work and labor counterpart. These
information were validated through a panel interview with each CLIFF applicant, which was
conducted by the Iloilo City Urban Poor Network. In this interview, ICUPN members used a
point system in rating each CLIFF applicant based on CLIFF qualification criteria. After this,
deliberation of application forms followed. Here, PACSII and ICUPN members reviewed the
applicant’s profile including their rating in panel interview. Priorities were given to CLIFF
applicants who have low income, those who are capable to pay their loan and committed to
undertake the CLIFF Housing Process. The selection of qualified applicant was primarily a
majority decision of screening committee members.

In the case of San Isidro Housing Project, applicants were not yet organized since they came
from different barangays in Iloilo City. Iloilo Flood Control Project-affected communities listed
on the DPWH Census and Tagging Report were main priorities for this project. PACSII and
Network members conducted initial orientations with target CLIFF applicants from these
communities. The nature of the CLIFF project, the application requirements and the entire
CLIFF process were discussed during the orientations. Duly-accomplished application forms
were submitted by CLIFF applicants immediately after orientation. ICUPN representatives then
validated the applicant’s socio-economic and house structure information during their house-
to-house-visit. After this, panel interview and household income and expenditure or
affordability surveys were conducted by PACSII and ICUPN representatives simultaneously.
Just like in KABALAKA, the panel interview became a useful tool in determining the
affordability levels of CLIFF San Isidro housing applicants both for the labor equity requirement
and their loan repayment. The These will also determine whether CLIFF applicants
4
ICUPN is a loose network of three big urban poor federations in Iloilo City working collectively to attain secure tenure and housing.
These federations are the Iloilo City Urban Poor Federation, Inc. (ICUPFI), Iloilo Federation of Community Association, Inc. (IFCA) and the
Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI), where HPFPI spearheaded the network formation in 2005 when the City Mayor
Jerry Treñas posed a challenge to unite themselves.
 and their capacity to repay the CLIFF loan. Through panel interview, ICUPN members have
generated the individual responses of applicants as to their willingness to participate in
planning, house design, procurement to actual construction and housing management.
Considering that the San Isidro Housing Project is in massive scope, and applicants have
different income and affordability levels, generating reliable and accurate data pertaining to
their household income and expenses have been very critical. These were the rationale why the
HHIES//affordability survey was conducted. Here, applicants are individually interviewed about
the membership of their respective households, and all income sources and expenses are
computed on a monthly basis to generate their household gross and net income.

After having completed the application survey, validation, panel interview and HHIES, ICUPN
members and PACSII gather together to deliberate the individual application forms and from
these select applicants who will be prequalified for the project. These prequalified applicants
will eventually undergo the series of trainings and workshops in preparation for the actual
construction and housing management. Sending disqualification and prequalification notices to
CLIFF applicants is also another task of ICUPN, after the deliberation and selection processes.

II. METHODOLOGY

The Masterlist of CLIFF applicants was a major output of Community Development

(CD) students-interns from the College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines
Visayas (CAS-UPV), as course requirement of CD 180 or field work. Data processing took
for one semester (or 5 months) where they regularly come to the Regional Office of HPFPI5
every Saturdays. This masterlist is a collaborative effort of the students, community leaders
and PACSII documentation team.

1. Data Processing Procedure

HPFPI-PACSII documentation team brainstormed and outlined the structure and

contents of the CLIFF Applicants Masterlist, with inputs derived from the series of meetings
the Network had, who plays a major role in the screening process of CLIFF. After reviewing
the forms and added important data on the existing template, encoding followed.

Two Community Development students were assigned to do the encoding of data of

CLIFF applicants. The encoding is done every Saturday or sometimes during Wednesday if
the students are not available on Saturdays.

For easy encoding and validation of data, the documentation team sorted the
application forms according to application status (prequalified, qualified, disqualified) and
place of origin/barangay.

The data encoding was first done according to the status of the applicant. All
disqualified application forms were encoded and sorted-out according to the barangay or
5
Locally known as KABALAKA, with office address at Zone 6, Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City, serves as the learning center for all savings
transactions conducted by the savers – individual, group or association.
place where the applicant is currently living. The application forms of
prequalified/disqualified and backed-out applicants were encoded next and clustered per
barangay.

After the per status and per barangay encoding, all the data were synthesized
alphabetically to come-up with a final masterlist of all CLIFF applicants.

To ensure the accuracy and completeness of the encoded information on the

masterlist, students counterchecked the individual application forms.

While the lay-out of the masterlist is finalized, the introductory and methodology
portion is being written simultaneously. These were consolidated and prepared for final
printing.

2. Data Fields included in the CLIFF Masterlisting

The data fields in CLIFF Masterlist were based on the following forms used during the
CLIFF application and screening processes:

 Application and Survey Form- this contains the CLIFF applicant’s general
profile, household data, house structure and community information. This
form is filled-up by every CLIFF applicant and submitted for validation

 Validation Form- This form is filled-up by ICUPN representatives during

their house to house visit to validate the surveyed data reflected by applicants
in their CLIFF application forms.

 Panel Interview Form- This is used by ICUPN representatives to interview

individual CLIFF applicant. This contains guide questions to determine the
applicant’s affordability level, commitment and willingness to save, to provide
labor counterpart and to participate in all CLIFF-related activities (e,g.
meetings, workshops, actual procurement and construction management)

 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HHIES)/ Affordability

Survey Form- form used to revalidate the CLIFF applicant’s household
income and expenses per month. The data is generated by ICUPN
representatives though one-on-one interview with the CLIFF applicant

A. On San Isidro Applicants:

 Batch Number – it distinguish the group assignment of CLIFF participant

upon application, whether they belong to the first or second pool of applicants
(Application form)
 Tag Number- a specific code/number assigned by the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) for each household whose structure was
identified to be directly affected of the Iloilo Flood Control Project
implementation. The tag numbers of IFCP-affected households were based on
the survey conducted by the DPWH in year 2001, which were compiled
eventually in DPWH Census and Tagging Report . (Validation form)

 Tag Owner/Structure Owner- refers to the person who owns the structure
tagged by DPWH in year 2001 and whose name is reflected on the Census and
Tagging Report
o Age-the age of the structure owner
o Relationship to Applicant- the relationship of the tag/structure owner
to the CLIFF applicant

 Applicant- the person who applied for the CLIFF project (Validation form)
o Age
o Occupation
o Name of Spouse

 Name of Household Head- usually the father or the earning family member
(Validation form/HHIES)
o Occupation

 Household – refers to one or two families who share in the kitchen to cook
food and shared expenses (HHIES).

 Household Gross Income- the total monthly income of all earning family
members including other sources of income of the household members.
(HHIES)

 Household Expenses- refers to all cash outlay of the household per month
(HHIES)

 Household Net Income- derived by subtracting the applicant’s household

expenses from the household gross income (HHIES)

 Household Size- the total members sharing food and other expenses in a
household (HHIES)
o Number of Children
o Number Families in the Household
  Structure Condition- This refers to the physical condition and the type of
materials that made-up the house of the CLIFF applicant. Structure condition
can either be classified into: light materials, semi-concrete and concrete
materials. (Validation form)

 Land Area - refers to the size of the parcel of land the household is residing
in. This is expressed in square meters. (Validation form)
o Number of Floors of the House

 Capacity to Pay- the CLIFF applicant’s declared capacity to pay for the house
per month (HHIES)

 Application Status (HHIES)

a. Qualified- refers to CLIFF applicants who:
- Have complied and passed the CLIFF screening process such as the
validation, panel interview, household income and expenditure survey
- Have been tagged by the Department of Public Works and Highways
that their house structure is directly-affected
- Have been registered under the city’s socialized housing program
- Passed all the-CLIFF technical related trainings and workshops in
preparation for the actual construction and project-management

b. Backed-out- these are CLIFF applicants who were prequalified after

passing the screening procedures for the CLIFF project but were not
able to attend or complete the series of CLIFF technical-related
trainings and workshops. They have withdrawn their slot in the project
because of their lack of capacity to pay for their labor equity or they
preferred to avail free houses or lot only.

c. Disqualified- these are CLIFF applicants who:

- Have missed to comply the application requirements
- Were not tagged by the Department of Public Works and Highways
based on the DPWH Census Validation and Tagging Report
- Have exceeded the income bracket for qualified applicants for each
category

B. On KABALAKA Applicants

 Barangay

 Name of Applicant

 Age of Applicant

 Name of Spouse
  Name of HH head

 Occupation of HH head

 HH Gross Income

 HH Size

 Number of Children

 Number of Families in a HHs

 Application Status

 Remarks

3. Limitations

In the course of encoding the CLIFF masterlist, students encountered several

problems. Filling-in the missing data is quite difficult for the students since they have not
been involved in the screening and selection of CLIFF applicants. Initially, empty spaces for
the missing data were highlighted so that they can be easily tracked. Moreover, some
applicants have lacking forms, without which the data needed for the masterlist cannot be
easily generated. Some information written by CLIFF applicants in the application forms and
what they have declared in panel interviews and affordability surveys were found to be
inconsistent that is why ensuring the veracity of the data is quite difficult.

Since the accuracy of the information in this masterlist is very vital, the students
reviewed the encoded data and counterchecked it with the individual documents of each
CLIFF applicant. Missing information on the masterlist were verified as well with ICUPN
representatives and PACSII documentation team, since they are the ones who facilitated the
CLIFF screening and selection process. Students also interviewed the applicants to generate
the missing data such as in the case of KABALAKA housing participants.

III. FINDINGS

The tabulated data below is the summary of the total number of prequalified/
qualified, disqualified and backed-out applicants categorized per barangay. In San Isidro
Housing Project, CLIFF applicants came totalled 608. These applicants came from 14
IFCP-affected barangays which belong to three big districts of Iloilo City namely
Mandurriao, Lapaz, and Jaro.

A total of 169 applicants were qualified and prequalified according to their income
and affordability levels. Of these, 63 have been qualified for they have already completed
the series of preparatory trainings and workshops for the actual housing construction and
management. Out of the 63 qualified applicants. 43 have started the house construction.
 Fifty applicants have backed-out and withdraw their slot from CLIFF. The foreseen
difficulty of providing labor counterpart and paying the CLIFF loan including availability
to attend CLIFF-related activities are the major reasons why these applicants backed-out.

On the other hand, 389 applicants were disqualified because they have missed to
comply the required application requirements and their income is comparably higher than
the income bracket needed to qualify for CLIFF.

Name of Total Number of Number of Number of

District/Barangay Qualified/ Disqualified Backed-out
Prequalified Applicants Applicants
Applicants

Mandurriao
Bakhaw 31 1 14 16
Bolilao 5 0 1 4
Taft North 17 0 11 6
Lapaz
Caingin 14 0 9 5
Desamparados 6 0 5 1
Mansaya 85 0 85 0
Lapuz Norte 27 7 4 16
Jaro
Benedicto 121 14 107 0
Calubihan 2 0 1 1
Cubay 158 73 84 1
Don Delfin 44 19 25 0
San Isidro 50 22 28 0
Tabuc Suba 19 9 10 0
Ungka 29 24 5 0
TOTAL 608 169 389 50

IV. ANNEXES

o Forms Used (both in KABALAKA and San Isidro)