By Jose Fernando P. Obias
FITTING for Bicol Habitat is that one line of Kahlil Gibran’s description of a friend: A friend has his eyes on his company.
When founded in 1988, Bicol Habitat has set its eyes on building a house for every economically disadvantaged family to turn it into a home.
Huge or humble, a home gives pride and dignity to its owner.
Giving back dignity to a family has been the growing concern, the common sentiment in the hearts and mind, of the movers of Bicol Habitat for Humanity Foundation, Inc. (BHFH), an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity (HFH) International. The Foundation is a non-profit ecumenical Christian housing ministry. It provides simple, decent, and affordable homes to economically disadvantaged families through the participative labor of home-partners and volunteers. In this ministry, it uses as much the donated materials for construction.
The BHFH is headed by Ms. Consuelo T. Dy as President. The other officers of the board are: Dr. Fabio F. Figuracion, Vice-President for External Affairs; Oliver s. Coronado, Vice-President for Internal Affairs; Leo O. Borras, Secretary; Ms. Marissa F. Trinidad, Treasurer and Raymond L. Concepcion, Auditor.
Members of the board are: Luis Fidel S. Abaño, Atty. Alfredo D. Agawa, Malu C. Barcillano, William T. Enrile, Jeremie S. Lo, Danilo Manalang, and Juan Carlos S. de los Reyes. Ex-officio member is Oscar V. Reyes and staff members are: Eva A. Goyena, program administrator; Philip M. Malle, logistics/technical officer; Joana Marie A. Martija, administrative assistant, and Michelle O. Moral, finance assistant.
Environment-friendly center and houses
The housing ministry of Bicol Habitat has been felt in many places in the Bicol region. Literally, Bicol Habitat has its eyes on communities and the many families that need a roof over their heads.
In barangay Alawihao in Daet, Camarines Norte, the December 10, 2011 turn-over ceremony and blessing of the Angelo King-Habitat Multi-Purpose Center for Phase l of the Urban Poor Resettlement Site was witnessed by no less than Daet Mayor Tito S. Sarion who pledged to provide the floor tiles for the Center. Present during the rite were officials of the Alawihao community and the project partners of Bicol Habitat.
The Angelo King-Habitat Multi-Purpose Center was funded by the Angelo King Foundation and the lot site was donated by the Local Government Unit of Daet. The Center has a floor area of 60 square meters in a lot with an area of 120 square meters. It uses cost-efficient steel frame technology with concrete fill-in. It uses Galvalume roofing sheets to minimize heat build-up and steel for roof-framing, doors, and window jambs. Environment-friendly, Bicol Habitat uses wood to the barest minimum.
The Center has a small office with a kitchen and toilet facility. It has electrical and plumbing fixtures. Construction of the Center was commenced on December 1, 2011 and was completed on January 7, 2012, courtesy of volunteers from the Alawihao community.
Science classrooms
Another project undertaken by Bicol Habitat was with Chevron Geothermal Philippines in the town of Tiwi, Albay. The project consists of two school buildings, one at the Naga National High School in Barangay Naga and the other at Joroan National High School in Barangay Joroan.
Born out of Chevron’s commitment to help improve the social and economic well-being of the communities where it operates, each of the school buildings has a floor area of 63 square meters and can accommodate 45 students on a per shift basis. The classroom has its own toilet facility, electrical, and plumbing fixtures. Like the Angelo King-Habitat Multi-Purpose Center in Daet, the two classrooms use Galvalume roofing sheets, steel for roof-framing, windows, and door jambs.
Turn-over rite of the Chevron-Habitat Science School Building in Nag National High School was held August 24, 2010 and that of Joroan National High School on June 13, 2011. Gracing the turn-over ceremonies were Chevron Geothermal Philippines Asset Manager Wilson Clemente, Tiwi Mayor Jaime C. Villanueva, Bicol Habitat President Consuelo Dy, DepEd Region V Albay Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Alice I. Terrell, barangay officials, and the school principals of both schools.
Repair kits in response to natural disasters
That Bicol Habitat has its eyes on its community was affirmed when it embarked on a disaster response program immediately after the region was battered by a series of typhoons in 2011. With Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Bicol Habitat rolled out shelter repair kits in the municipalities of Polangui and Libon in partnership with JV Angeles Construction, Harvest Foundation, Children’s Hour, Habitat Great Britain, and Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (JOAC).
The repair kits were distributed to the needy families once they passed a screening process, showing the extent of the damage in their house and the status of the family. Each recipient family received provisions for the repair of the walls and roof of their house, to be done within two weeks as prescribed by the foundation. Included in the kit were pieces of plywood, several corrugated G.I. sheets, and assorted nails.
In barangay Sta. Cruz, Libon town of Albay, 185 families were funded by JV Angeles Construction and Harvest Foundation. In barangay Bulusan, Libon town in Albay, 24 families were aided by Children’s Hour.
Funded families by Habitat Great Britain and Jersey Overseas Aid Commission were: 65 in barangay Ponso, 35 in barangay Balinad, 77 in barangay Alnay, 48 in barangay Basud —- all in Polangui town; 26 in barangay Sagrada, 15 in barangay Bonbon, and 14 in barangay Bulusan —- all in Libon town. The total of the repair kits distributed was 280.
The kits were distributed from October 12, 2011 to May 7, 2012.
TOMS shoes
Another area where Bicol Habitat has its eyes on is the footwear of school children. If Korina Sanchez-Roxas has resolved to provide slippers to public school children nationwide, Bicol Habitat has initiated the giving of rubber shoes to the children in Bicol Habitat communities.
For the past 24 years, Bicol Habitat has built over 32,000 houses. The communities that benefited from Bicol Habitat are in for an added benignity when Bicol Habitat forged partnership with TOMS One for One. One for One is an advocacy of TOMS to give a pair of shoes with every purchase of a new pair. TOMS shoes come in a variety of designs — from desert botas to teal stone-washed cord classics, from the softness of corduroy, a perfect fit for vacations, outings or just plain old relaxation wearing any jeans, shorts and slacks to linen pinstripe with high heels, rubber outsole.
School children living in Bicol Habitat communities such as those in Maogma Village in barangays Balatas and Concepcion Pequeña in the City of Naga, those in Villa Asiaret in the town of Bombon, those in Housing II in barangay Monserrat in the town of Magarao —— all in Camarines Sur —– receive pairs of new shoes from TOMS. So did those in Anislag Resettlement Site in the town of Daraga and those in Tagaytay Resettlement Site in the town of Camalig, both in Albay. Given to 400 children from these communities were black, unisex canvass slip-on with a sturdy sole to be worn in attending school and to be replaced with a new pair when worn out.
Lending assistance to this program were volunteers from Naga City Montessori School, EDUCARE, and Camalig MSWDO who provided snacks for the children while the Balatas Habitat Homepartners Association, Power Jaguar, and the University of Nueva Caceres-ICES conducted the shoe education and assisted in the shoe-giving. Documentation of the event was made by PRIME Digital Print Center.
New partners
Recently, Bicol Habitat hosted the national executive committee and board of trustees meeting of, to establish its partnership with, iHome, Inc. iHome is a non-stock, non-profit Christian organization with 13 locales spread all over the country. It establishes God-centered, self-reliant communities, through building affordable and decent houses.
The meeting was attended by 10 locales, namely: iHome Greater Metro Manila, Inc.; South Metro Manila iHome Foundation; Integrated Communities with Mission-Based Endeavor, Inc. (iCome, Inc.); Cavite HFH, Inc.; iHome Palawan Locale; Quezon Coco-Palm HFH, Inc.; Dumaguete HFH; Butuan HFH, Inc.; Oro HFH Inc.; and SouthMin Habitat, Inc. Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity Philippines Charlie Ayco also graced the event. In welcome for the participants, a fellowship dinner was hosted by City of Naga Mayor John G. Bongat.
Work of many hands
A fellowship dinner with partners, the giving of shoes for school children, the distribution of construction materials for storm-damaged houses, the construction of classrooms, a community multi-purpose center as well as decent houses for families may just be among the few and current concerns of Bicol Habitat. In fact, lots of affairs bear upon, waiting for a touch of concern from, Bicol Habitat. Left to itself, without the partners, without the volunteers, without the cooperation of stakeholders —- Bicol Habitat cannot accomplish the much it had for the past 14 years. If ever Bicol Habitat had gone this far, it is because Bicol Habitat has been the work of many hands.