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Dear Tarzan10..     let's look at a few truths... 

1.  building is by a mixed situation...   there are family-builders, managers who hire workers with concrete, rebarb, pipe, electrical experience.. then the larger 'commercial contractors' in this city.     Costs, timeframe for completion, quality-results;...all play in.

so..
2.  A native can build a house for under $3,000 USD..  modest, but a house.   They would often get 'clear title to land', then find friends or locals to 'hire them' to build it WITH them..  often footers, walls, roof, finishing bars/windows, doors, plumbing in the pad, then finished plumbing, electrical, etc.  A 'notable' family home, 2 stories, may go in the $7,000 to $19,000 Plus range..  they get their hands dirty, they know around the 'permits', and they know how to get MORE for less.
... of these, we're talking with single-glaze windows, or open bared windows only.
... we're talking simple but good bathroom, and that tiled kitchen counter without cabinets.

3. ... but before you BUILD..  I would welcome you to consider these options:
a.  there ARE expats who have built homes in De Oro City (and others in Cagayan) who then in 2-5 years or so left... and are renting with options to buy their homes BY the relatives of their spouse, or others.   b. before you 'built'... live there...   do a little 'offer of work help' or befriend families who are doing additions, or building.   Don't talk to bosses only, talk to the men and women DOING the building of homes...  (yes, take someone who's TRULY HONEST to translate with you)..   live there for 1 year minimum...then move on to building on land you 'co-own' with your spouse & her/his family.    c.  but my BEST advice. ...  find a 'nice home' or 'Condo'..  and DECORATE IT yourself as if it were to be your home forever (within reason of course).. you're leasing it.. but you are SAFE from the potential of 'building then losing that house' in 10 or so years.   

4.  Now some real life example:   I was told it would cost me over $120,000 USD to buy, or build, a western-style home (but with steel reinforced concrete construction..better than USA but about as in Germany and EU)...   but 'getting to know families' with a bit of help.. and them knowing me NOT as MONEY BAGS but as a helpful 'neighbor'.. i found out that they build a rental property (of apartments) as a farming family.. where each floor, over 40sm!!!..  cost them in steel, concrete, workers.. . under $10,000 USD..  then, with pipes in the concrete,..   it cost them more to place 'toilet, sinks, kitchen sink/counter'.. and they strung the electrical 'clasped in tubes on the walls' for another roughly $3-3.5K USD.    I learned this, because other than doing a little 'helping labor' for them, and some snacks.. they told me the 'inside story' in building better, for less.    Now this information may seem 'shocking to believe' for those there.. but...  this was a real-life true event..  THEN, I was able to talk, through a translator, the 'supervisor of construction' to gleem more information.   ... I estimate it using those same capable and authorized builders (the workers and team-lead and couple).. for a 1 story EU/US style home in concrete with western fixtures, etc...  would likely run around $22K US for 5-8 rooms total and in the range of 1200+sf....and this would be a 'very LIKE HOME in the States/Province' homestead of your own.  Remember, it's actually OWNED by your local spouse in the end.  (another reason to LEASE and Decorate a place instead of BUILDING TO Co-Own).

thanks  heaps for the  insight,

Good answer!