MANILA, Philippines - Forty five students from some of the country's exclusive schools on Saturday lent their helping hands in building houses for displaced informal settlers living near Pasig River in the 103-hectare National Housing Authority (NHA) rehabilitation area in Barangay Dayap, Calauan Laguna. The students belonging to the Habitat Youth Council joined the construction workers in two of the rehabilitation areas in pouring concrete on the hollow blocks which will be used as walls on each of the 20-square-meter housing units.
Ana Herrera of the Habitat for Humanity Resource Development Department said that each of the housing units also has a four-square-meter provision for the construction of a loft, adding that the organization intends to construct 1,077 houses at the site. She noted that qualified recipients of the housing unit will pay a minimal fee that has yet to be determined, devoid of any profit not common in usual housing loan projects. Aside from providing affordable housing units to the poor, Herrera said that the Habitat for Humanity Philippines, in a tie-up with Salesians of Don Bosco for Livelihood Program, will provide seminars and trainings on technical and vocational courses for the recipients. She added that the organization has already inquired and is continuously in contact with local companies in the area for possible employment of qualified members of the community in the NHA Rehabilitation Site 2.
The NHA rehabilitation area, a brainchild of former President Joseph Estrada, was established 10 years ago in a bid to decongest and provide suitable housing units for the millions of informal settlers in Metro Manila. However, the project was stalled after the former President was unexpectedly brought down from power. With the current rehabilitation of Pasig River, the project was reactivated as the informal settlers dangerously living in the area will have to be relocated to safer grounds during the recovery period of the waterway. Currently, Habitat for Humanity Philippines is building the first 300 homes in Site 2 where the affected families will be provided with clean water and sanitation facilities in their shelter structures. The indicative cost of one unit of the shelter is P90,000, complete with basic electrical installation and plumbing for waste and water line.
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