Yolanda housing project turned over to homeowners

Officials of involved stakeholders for the post-Yolanda housing project in Barangay Polambato, Bogo City signed yesterday the contract of usufruct giving the 194 families (879 individuals) the right to occupy the houses for the next 25 years.

The housing project was an initiative of the SM Cares, a division of SM Foundation, when they committed to assist the families who lost their homes in the wake of super typhoon Yolanda which devastated the Visayas in 2013.

"That promise became a reality to construct houses in communities that were heavily affected," she said SM Supermalls President Annie Garcia in her speech during a brief program.

Sitting on the one-hectare village are 200 disaster-resilient houses occupied by families who embody the "symbol of partnership, of shared responsibilities and most importantly, of the modern day bayanihan."

Garcia admitted that they were confronted with several challenges in carrying out the project as it was a new undertaking for them back in 2014.

"But amidst these challenges, we remain unfazed. We focused on finding solutions rather than being beaten by problems," she said.

The housing project in Bogo City was the first among four initiatives of SM Cares including those in other Yolanda-devastated areas of Tacloban, Ormoc, and Iloilo.

"I remember clearly during the groundbreaking, all we had were just plans and concepts, but today we see a community filled with positivity and empowered by hope and compassion," she said.

"The SM Cares housing project is a living testament that much can be done if we all work together and move in one direction with the goal of helping one another for the betterment of all," said Garcia.

"We have gone beyond the physical aspect of our villages and are now developed, truly resilient, active and happy community," she added.

More than four years have passed since the great disaster, Garcia said the surviving families now "celebrate life, celebrate hope, celebrate new beginnings with continued resolve."

Garcia shared that it was the Fernan family who jumpstarted the project. The Fernan family has donated the one hectare of land on which the village sits on, which was previously a sugarcane plantation.

In her speech, Ma. Eloisa "Marrisa" Fernan, Vice President for SM Prime Holdings Inc., said her heart was full seeing the genuine smiles of the beneficiaries.

She said because of the help of several entities, the village was built into an "ideal" community.

Since it has now been turned over, she said, "we will still be around, but 90 percent of the work is now yours."

During the program, many became emotional especially when they remember the hardest times when super typhoon Yolanda hit northern Cebu and could not contain the overwhelming joy of being given a decent shelter.

Neralyn Montejo, vice chairman of the village homeowners association, said she and the other families never expected to receive such big help.

Montejo said the burden of the calamity had turned into a blessing as it became a bridge for them to acquire their own sturdy and sound houses and also allowed them to foster good relationships with their neighborhood.

Since the inauguration of the housing project in 2014, several activities were done to capacitate and support households so that they can stand on their own if they are to manage the community village on their own, through the efforts of the the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.

There were team building workshops, the organization of a homeowners association, treeplanting and vegetable gardening, microfinancing, and sports tournament.

Slowly, the village was built with chapel, basketball court and the two-storey community center used as venue for trainings, sessions and eucharistic masses.

Before the turnover ceremony, at least 19 newly wed couples from the village tied the knot during the mass wedding sponsored by Felicidad T. Sy Foundation, Inc. (FTSyFI).

Only a few got the chance to say their "I do's" of the about 60 unmarried partners from the village because not all were able to comply with the requirements asked by the Church.

The newly wed Caroscos couple, Hanelyn (25) and Joel (31), were already living together for nine years and blessed with one daughter, now six years old, before they officially said "I do" yesterday.

The couple expressed joy that finally they were able to say their marital vows considering that they could not afford the expense of a wedding ceremony.