Vice President Leni Robredo visited the National Housing Agency (NHA) housing site in Hernani, Eastern Samar on Wednesday. Out of the target 900 shelters in the site, only 200 shelters are being constructed and none has been finished yet. Photo by Melanie Bingco, ABS-CBN News

Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday lamented that housing construction for the victims of Super-typhoon Yolanda has been very slow.

Out of the target 900 shelters in the National Housing Agency (NHA) housing site in Hernani, Eastern Samar, only 200 shelters are being constructed and none has been finished yet.

"Sobrang bagal. At hindi lang yun dito sa Hernani, sa buong Yolanda-stricken areas. Nakakadismaya kasi tawag natin emergency shelter response, 'di ba? Hindi na yun emergency kasi wala pa nga [We are dismayed that construction has been slow. These were called emergency shelters and yet they are still not up]," said Robredo, who also chairs the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

She said the delay is usually caused by the bureaucratic red tape, requiring titled lots for land areas where shelters will be put up. This has become a problem in provinces where most parcels of land only have tax declarations.

"Baka pwedeng magsimula na yung construction habang nilalakad yung title ng property. Kasi ang nangyayari ngayon, hinihintay yung title ng property. Yung title alone, two to three years ang proseso," she said.

She said she will meet up with the Commission on Audit and the NHA if they could possibly relax said requirements without setting aside accountabilities.