In March 2017, about 5,000 people, aided by members of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay), took over vacant houses in six government housing projects in Pandi town and the City of San Jose del Monte in Bulacan province.
The provincial government and housing officials initiated dialogues with the group who occupied the houses, saying that the families would be given eviction notices but assured them their applications for housing would be addressed.
On March 19, barricades manned by at least 8,000 people were put up by Kadamay to stop government attempts to evict its members.
The NHA later lifted the eviction orders it issued after Kadamay members agreed to submit to a validation as housing applicants.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in April, said he would give members of Kadamay the houses in Bulacan, and asked military and police personnel to let go of the units.
In turn, the President promised to build better houses for them by December. —Marielle Medina