by Carlo P. Mallo
A house, no matter how big, is no different than any other structure if there is no peace in it. “The core of the habitat principle is to create sustainable communities, to build the capacity of the communities, and to provide training and opportunity for business and education,” Margie Moran-Floirendo, board member of Habitat for Humanity, said. The beneficiaries of the project are families who have been displaced by the conflict in the region. “These beneficiaries have been identified by the Department of Social Welfare, and the communities where they are in right now have already been declared as peaceful,” Moran-Floirendo said. One of the features of the program is its cash for work arm, wherein families can work on their houses for 10 days and earn P174 per day. “It is designed to help them jumpstart the local economy. We are not only providing houses, we are also creating sustainable economies that can stand on their own,” Moran-Floirendo said. Nine hundred houses and 922 day care centers are expected to be constructed in the mainland and island provinces of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by December 2012 with the pronouncement of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-ARMM (DSWD-ARMM) and Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) during the MOA Signing held last July 27. This is following the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III last July 23 where he lauded the reforms implemented by ARMM OIC Governor Mujiv Hataman especially the housing and education reforms. Through the efforts of DSWD-ARMM Secretary Bainon Karon, reforms continue in the region. HFHP has started building houses in Buluan, Mangudadatu, and Pandag, Maguindanao. A total of 270 houses will be constructed in four sites in these municipalities, and are expected to be finished by the end of August 2012. Two hundred eighty three (283) day care centers will also be constructed to complete the first tranche of the project. “The homepartner families living in Buluan, Mangudadatu, and Pandag have experienced flooding through the years because of their housing location,” shared Leonilo Escalada, HFHP Chief Operating Officer. “We will be using stilt technology in the construction of the houses to prevent flooding in their new homes.” Site selection for the succeeding projects for housing and day care centers are still ongoing in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Marawi Sity, Basilan, Tawi tawi and Sulu, in partnership with the ARMM local governments and other regional offices. “We, in Habitat, walk hand in hand with the national government, DSWD, and the ARMM government’s plan in alleviating housing poverty here in ARMM,” Charlie Ayco, HFHP Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, said.
