MANILA — Singapore-based firm Homeqube is planning to bring artificial intelligence and blockchain technology to the Philippines’ homebuilding sector with the hopes of addressing the country’s housing problem.

Homeqube founder and CEO Jose Paolo Calma said using steel and cement in homebuilding have elevated land prices as more people move to urban areas.

Aside from this, Calma said these building materials lead to more expensive project costs due to logistics and middleman fees.

To address this, Homeqube said it made its Home Delivery Service online.

“The service available on its website covers the permitting phase, the acquisition of materials over two to five months, and a swift 30-day installation and delivery,” the firm said in a statement.

Pag-IBIG urges developers join 4PH, build condos

Homeqube also introduced materials “that would allow easy configurations and adaptations, veering away from large-scale and costly renovations.”

This includes its Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) which is lightweight but tough and sought to withstand harsh weather conditions such as 310 kph of strong winds. The material is also rust-proof.

Homeqube also invested in a Carbon Kevlar Cargo boat “which boasts strong stability and carrying capacity.”

“By choosing materials that regenerate, we can create a more resilient and adaptable environment, ensuring that our built environment remains a testament to our evolving needs. In short, we can build regenerative homes anywhere and our homes can follow where we go,” said Calma.

The firm emphasized that as long as a buyer has a land, “a home can be erected for as low as P1 million.”

In 2022, the DHSUD committed to building 1 million housing units annually to address the Philippines’ 6.5-million backlog in residential spaces.

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The year after, in 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reiterated that promise, noting that his administration is working to construct 1.2 million housing units by the end of that year.

But Housing Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the government had slashed its housing target to 3 million units by the end of Marcos' term after realizing that it takes about a year for private developers to take loans from banks.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG officials said they have allotted P250 billion for Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) for the next 6 years. They said this will help many Filipinos to have a home of their own, and the demand remains very high.

Pag-IBIG urges developers join 4PH, build condos

Pag-IBIG Fund is urging housing developers to apply for the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Housing (4PH) program.