Business · Philippines Bureau
AFAB, Bataan officials work toward resolving housing crisis
Officials from the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan and local government units are pursuing solutions to a protracted housing dispute affecting hundreds of residents, primarily former employees of the Bataan Export Processing Zone and their families.
LSN Philippines ·
MARIVELES, Bataan — A housing row that has affected hundreds of residents may move closer to resolution following high-level talks between freeport authorities and local officials in Bataan.
AFAB Administrator and Chief Executive Officer Hussein Pangandaman convened with Bataan provincial and municipal leaders to discuss the long-standing dispute, which primarily involves former workers of the Bataan Export Processing Zone (BEPZ) and their dependents who remain without adequate housing.
The discussions represent a renewed commitment to address the years-old grievance that has impacted low-income families in the region. Officials indicated that collaborative efforts between the Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan and local government units could accelerate the identification and implementation of viable housing solutions.
The precise details of proposed remedies remain under discussion, though both AFAB and local officials emphasized the urgency of providing relief to the affected residents. The outcome of these talks is expected to set the framework for concrete action in the coming months.
Photo: The Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB) building in Mariveles, Bataan, July 2026. Ralff Nestor Nacor via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).