Houses are now being prepared by Vice President Leni Robredo’s office and its private partners for residents of Guinobatan, Albay who were displaced by last month’s typhoons.
Robredo said the houses will be partly funded by donations that Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership raised for typhoon victims.
Her office calls the initiative “bahaynihan,” a play on Filipino words “bahay (house)” and bayanihan (community spirit).”
“Join us as we build houses for those who lost their homes to the lahar flow in Guinobatan, Albay. Until now, they are still stuck in evacuation centers because they have nowhere to go,” she said in a Facebook post.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has partnered with the Bicol University College of Engineering, the United Architects of the Philippines Daraga-Cagsawa Chapter and Elliptical Chapter, JCI Legazpi City, and C.C Buencamino Architects for the housing project.
The local government of Guinobatan provided the relocation site where the houses would be built.
This partnership, according to Robredo, will “make sure that the design and workmanship of the houses will not be shortchanged.”
The OVP is targeting to finish the construction of the houses before Christmas.
Robredo called for volunteers in building the houses for the displaced residents. An online training for them will be held next week.
“We need warm bodies who can provide labor so that the families will have their houses by Christmas,” she said.
Robredo’s office and Kaya Natin ended its fund drive on November 30 raising P71.6 million in cash donations.
The OVP is accepting in-kind donations until December 5 so it can focus on the rehabilitation of typhoon-hit areas in Luzon.