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Viral Video Exposes Hidden Tunnel Homes Beneath Manila Highway
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Moneycontrol•11-10-2026, 14:46
Viral Video Exposes Hidden Tunnel Homes Beneath Manila Highway
- •A viral video by vlogger Drew Binsky brought international attention to 94 low-income families living inside a cramped drainage tunnel beneath Manila's Osmeña Highway.
- •Living conditions in the tunnel are severe, featuring spaces under 1.5 meters high, illegal electrical taps, and severe flooding risks during heavy rains.
- •Manila social welfare authorities are actively relocating families to permanent housing in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, or providing temporary shelter aid.
- •Past relocation efforts failed because some families returned to Manila due to a lack of employment opportunities in provincial areas.
- •The tunnel community highlights a broader urban crisis, with an estimated three million informal settlers living in hazard-prone areas across Metro Manila.
Key Questions Answered
The National Housing Authority counts 94 low-income families living in the tunnel homes beneath Osmeña Highway in Malate.
Manila's social welfare director announced plans to prepare permanent relocation for around 100 residents. By mid-September, the Department of Social Welfare and Development identified 85 families, with 49 ready to move to permanent housing in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, and 36 set to receive 5,000 a month in temporary shelter aid.
Some families previously moved to Cabuyao, Laguna, but returned to Manila because of limited economic opportunities in the province and too little support after relocation.
