Architects are part designer, part problem-solver, part translator between ideas and the physical world. At the core, they are people who shape how humans live in space.
Most of what architects design will outlast them. Going beyond design and aesthetics, they lean toward durability, sustainability, and conceptualizing about the next 50 or 100 years, not just the immediate next quarter of the year. In a nutshell, architects are people who turn human needs and environmental realities into built form that lasts.
True to the calling of his profession, for Henry Yap, architecture is more than just building structures. It is about crafting experiences, shaping communities, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Yap’s journey is not only inspiring, but truly remarkable and transformative. As an architect, environmental planner, and real estate practitioner with nearly four decades of experience, he has made significant contributions to the field.
Currently, he serves as Senior Undersecretary for Planning, International Cooperation and Institutional Partnerships at the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD). His work focuses on sustainable urban development, housing, and environmental planning. He’s been recognized for his efforts, including being named the 2023 Most Outstanding Professional in Environmental Planning by the Professional Regulation Commission and elevated to being one of only two Fellows in three organizations simultaneously – the Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners, the United Architects of the Philippines, and FIABCI-Philippines for real estate management.
As shared by Yap, according to a study commissioned by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council nearly a decade ago, the housing shortage in the country has been cited as 6.5 million units. The study used data from the 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH) to project housing needs up to 2016 and additional requirements until 2022.
“Unfortunately, the figure has often been misunderstood,” intoned Yap in an interview in Dumaguete in one of his occasional visits with his wife, Chona, who hails from Amlan, Negros Oriental. “In truth, only about two-thirds of the total represented actual housing needs. The remaining portion accounted for acceptable housing that could deteriorate over time due to neglect, natural disasters, and other factors classified as ‘reserves for inventory losses.’” Yap expounded.
“Another source of confusion lies in the interchangeable use of the terms ‘housing backlog’ and ‘housing need.’ The two terms differ significantly as housing backlog refers to the shortage of housing units because of unmet needs, while housing need encompasses the backlog and the new, emerging needs. Because they are often used interchangeably in public discussions, the misleading statistics has resulted to confusion,” explained Yap.
Thus, to provide a more accurate scenario, the DHSUD commissioned the Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute in 2023 to update the figures using data from the 2020 CPH. The updated study revealed that as of December 2022, the backlog stood at approximately 2.2 million units, or just a third of the previously projected figure.
Yap’s impact is evident in initiatives like the Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino Program, Pasig River Urban Redevelopment Project, and PLANADO (Plan and Do), aimed at addressing housing needs and promoting sustainable urban development.
“This time, the program shifts its focus from mere construction targets to the needs and welfare of housing beneficiaries. It broadens the approach beyond a single modality of vertical housing development, incorporating initiatives that address affordability, sustainability, and community well-being,” Yap said, adding that recent efforts of government include the provision of low interest, subsidized loans through the Pag-IBIG Fund, complemented by government-funded interest rate subsidies under the General Appropriations Act.
Interest rates for socialized housing units have been reduced from 6.25 percent to 3 percent, and further down to 1 percent after subsidies. Yap likewise informs that for horizontal units priced between P850,000 and P1.8 million, interest rates are now 4.5 percent, which “ensure more affordable monthly amortizations for low-income families.”
Ever the unassuming public figure that he is, Yap can no longer afford to be low-key. His architecture and environmental planning background make him a key player in shaping livable, sustainable cities and communities.
In the past two months, Yap has been recognized in prestigious twinbill organizations. He was conferred Asia’s Influential Leader of Sustainable Housing and Urban Planning Excellence on March 31, 2026 at the Grand Ballroom of Okada Manila by the United Architects of the Philippines Makati Greenbelt Chapter.
Coming close on the heels was his investiture to the College of Fellows of the United Architects of the Philippines on April 16, 2026 held at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. The select 26 Fellows call their batch as “Tanglaw.”
For more of Yap’s insights on real estate, places, and the way Filipinos live, work, and thrive, you can follow him through his columns in PhilSTAR Property on Facebook. | NWI
