Onward Home: Vincentians for homeless families in Manila

The first four families have been welcomed into temporary, safe accommodation in Bagong Silangan, on the outskirts of the Philippine capital. According to some estimates, there are over 100,000 people sleeping on the streets of Manila, exposed to natural disasters and all kinds of abuse. Fr Porcincula: ‘A home is a fundamental step towards regaining dignity.’

Manila (AsiaNews) - Vincentian priests, members of the Congregation of the Mission founded by St Vincent de Paul, launched a new project on 27 July to build homes for homeless people in the Manila metropolitan area. ‘We have launched Onward Home, a housing initiative dedicated to families living on the streets,’ explains Fr. Geowen Porcincula, CM, executive director of the Vincentian Missionaries Social Development Foundation, the charitable arm of the congregation in the Philippines.

On the day the project was launched, four families moved into their new temporary homes after a series of selection and preparation activities. A welcome ceremony was held at the Vincentian Foundation Bamboo Housing, a Church-run shelter located in the barangay Bagong Silangan, in Quezon City, on the vast outskirts of the Philippine capital.

Fr. Porcincula explains that Onward Home is just one of several housing programmes in the Philippines for homeless families, designed to address the growing number of homeless people in the National Capital Region. ‘Extreme weather events make life even more difficult for those living in precarious housing. Floods, typhoons and heavy rains can cause these shelters to collapse, resulting in loss of life and leaving entire families with nowhere to go,’ comments the Vincentian priest, citing those living under bridges, in carts or on the sides of main roads.

‘Those who end up on the streets face many risks, such as violence and marginalisation. Children are particularly vulnerable to abuse,’ he added. Having a place to live is essential to prevent mental health crises, exploitation and human trafficking, as well as lack of access to education, which is one of the main means of escaping poverty.

The Vincentian Foundation is collaborating with Depaul International and the Vincentian Family Philippines on the Onward Home project, which involves a 12-month programme during which families will participate in various training programmes with the help of experts such as social workers to prepare them for permanent housing. Parents will also receive vocational training through the Centre for Social Enterprise Development.

The Onward Home project houses, located on the foundation's Kawayan Housing site in Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, are built using Cement-Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT) developed by the Base Bahay Foundation, designed to withstand natural disasters such as typhoons, strong winds and earthquakes.

There are no official updated figures on the number of homeless people in Manila in 2025, but it is estimated to be over 100,000. According to previous reports, Manila has more homeless people than any other area in the country. And some sources suggest that it is the city with the most people living in public spaces.