What We Build
More than just four walls and a roof, Habitat for Humanity builds strong and resilient structures that make our home partners feel secure. Safe and decent homes uplift a family’s standard of living by giving them a true sense of ownership and pride.
Through the years, our organization has also expanded its services by providing water and sanitation facilities, schools, health centers, libraries, and multi-purpose buildings that can benefit the whole community.
Paknaan Housing Project
80 families receive new homes under Habitat Philippines’ Paknaan Housing Project in Mandaue City
(MANDAUE CITY, CEBU) “I grew up homeless at a very young age when my mother passed away. Life has been so difficult for us. We were living along the creek. We never knew when we would be forced to leave,” recalled Queenie Gacang, 27 years old. She added, “I prayed to have our own home, far from this place, to start anew, and to turn around my story completely.”
Queenie is just one of the 80 informal settler families, who used to live along the Mahiga Creek and in other danger zones in Mandaue City, Cebu. For many years, they spent their lives in precarious housing conditions, fearing demolition and environmental hazards. But their lives are about to change through Habitat for Humanity Philippines, its partners, and donors.
Intending to help families move into safer, disaster-resilient homes in sustainable communities, Habitat Philippines has turned over 80 new homes to members of the Nawanao Riverside B Homeowners Association. The partnership project with the local government of Mandaue, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) Region 7, and eight donors, relocates families to a new community in 6.5 Relocation Site, Zone Ahos, Barangay Paknaan.
“The Paknaan Housing Project is a testimony of how strengthening public-private-people partnerships could result in a concrete, impactful initiative and help vulnerable families rise from the agony of living in poor housing conditions. It took us eight years to complete this project due to challenges in site development. But we did not falter, and our now homeowners never lost their faith. By working together with a shared goal, these families finally have a decent home for the first time in their lives. It’s always a surreal feeling to hand over a key that will open not only the door of their new home but also life-changing opportunities starting today,” remarked Habitat Philippines chief executive officer Mardi Mapa-Suplido.
Joining the handover of new homes last July 12, 2022 was Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford, who visited the Philippines for a week-long set of events and activities in Manila, Negros Occidental, and Cebu. Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes opened the program, recognizing the efforts of the partners, who contributed to the completion of the project.
“We wanted to showcase that we can do a housing project at the heart of the city and this partnership with Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful inspiration. It is my hope that these houses will turn into homes where its residents can live with dignity to improve their quality of life. I hope that a vibrant community will emerge – one that is empowered and a partner to this city’s growth. I would like to thank and congratulate all those who are involved in this noble effort. You have contributed to improving the well-being of these families, as well as to giving them hope for a better tomorrow,” said Cortes.
The Paknaan Housing Project started in 2014 as part of the river rehabilitation program, which resulted from massive flooding in the area in 2011. Through the funding support from SHFC’s Community Mortgage Program, the 6.5-hectare government land in Zone Ahos was devoted to the project, leading to the construction of 80 row house units.
“We are joined here today to witness the joy of our home partners as they receive the keys to their new homes. This success is not without the collaboration of our partners, most especially the local government of Mandaue City and Habitat for Humanity Philippines. Thank you for your heartfelt commitment to provide decent homes for underprivileged families. The Social Housing Finance Corporation remains 100% committed to be your partner in this endeavor,” said Engr. Randolph Librando, Officer-in-Charge/Manager of SHFC Region 7.
Habitat Philippines’ partners and donors helped fill the funding gap to complete the houses. Through its global partnership with Habitat for Humanity, SC Johnson funded 25 houses in their commitment to helping build safe, disaster-resilient homes and improve the lives of people in their communities.
“At SC Johnson, we have always believed that we should have a positive impact in communities around the world. Wherever we operate, we should help make that place better because we are there. We are proud of our partnership with Habitat for Humanity. It has enabled us the opportunity to create pathways for greater social mobility for underserved communities where we operate. Access to safe, equitable housing and hygiene facilities are essential needs for every family and we are glad to be able to support in the provision of that,” said Alan VanderMolen, SC Johnson’s Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer.
A steadfast partner of Habitat Philippines for many years, Wells Fargo has supported the construction of 21 housing units, true to its mission to advocate for diversity, social inclusion, economic empowerment and resiliency, and improved well-being through housing.
“I am proud of our community partners for doing what they have to do to build not just houses, but homes which fill a community with hope, love, and dreams to build a better future. Let us continue to aspire to make Philippine communities safer and stronger,” said Sandeep Mulajkar, Country Head, Wells Fargo Philippines.
Other donors that supported the completion of the 80 houses include the JTI Philippines, Henkel Foundation, Latria Construction Company, Bloomberg, American Wire and Cable Company, Inc., and the Million Dollar Round Table Foundation.
Newly married and blessed with a new home of their own, Queenie and her husband, James, can start building their family and live comfortably and worry-free. “Nothing could express the joy in our hearts when finally, one of our dreams has become a reality. This housing project will help us raise our future children and they will remember this legacy that we built as they pass it on to future generations,” beamed Queenie as she received the key to her new home.
Typhoon Odette Disaster Response
100 Days after Typhoon Odette
Habitat for Humanity Philippines expands relief ops to help rebuild homes
Marking a hundred days after the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, millions of families who lost their homes are still without sufficient shelter assistance to help build back their lives.
In response to the urgent shelter needs of hardest-hit communities, Habitat for Humanity Philippines has widened the reach of its disaster relief efforts to support the recovery and rebuilding of damaged houses in Cebu, Southern Leyte, and Negros Occidental. Supporting nine cities and municipalities, the emergency response program will aid at least 1,800 severely affected, low-income, and vulnerable families through house repair, distribution of shelter repair kits, and provision of hygiene and household kits.
“Habitat Philippines’ teams in the Visayas region are closely coordinating with local government units to assess the urgent shelter requirements of disaster-hit communities. It has been three months and many families are still reeling from the impact of the typhoon. Although PHP 1.6-billion worth of assistance has been provided, shelter assistance only accounts for less than 10 percent. The reconstruction of homes and community infrastructures has been sluggish forcing millions of families to live in unsafe shelter conditions. With the loss of their livelihood and the prolonged impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they are unable to build back better and safer. The lack of shelter assistance slows down their recovery,” said Habitat Philippines chief executive officer Mardi Mapa-Suplido.
Typhoon Odette (International Name: Rai), one of the world’s strongest tropical cyclones in 2021 that struck the Philippines last December 16, damaged more than 2 million homes, based on the situation report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as of February 21, 2022. Compared to Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 which damaged over 1.1 million houses, Typhoon Odette destroyed 78 percent more, displacing over 115,000 individuals three months on.
“Days after the typhoon happened, we launched our emergency response fundraising campaign, bringing together corporate partners, grant funding organizations, and individuals to support the needs of the affected families. However, unlike in the Typhoon Yolanda response, the flow of local and international aid for Typhoon Odette is slow and meager,” said Lala Baldelovar, chief development officer of Habitat Philippines. “The impact of the pandemic on the local and global economy, coupled with the increasing intensity and frequency of disasters in the past years, contributed to the slower aid for Typhoon Odette.”
Through partnerships and collaborations, several donors heeded the call for support and have committed PHP 45-million worth of assistance for the families that Habitat Philippines targets to help. With this commitment, Habitat Philippines intends to repair the homes of over 1,000 families in Southern Leyte, Cebu, and Negros Occidental. Shelter repair assistance includes damage assessment, ‘build back safer’ orientation, provision of tools and materials, and labor support.
“Today, many communities have not yet fully recovered from the effects and devastation of Typhoon Odette. Together with Habitat for Humanity, Shang Properties thru Kerry Foundation Phils is committed to take part in this humanitarian cause to help affected Visayan communities rebuild their homes and provide safe shelters for these displaced families,” remarked Wilfred Woo, executive director of Shang Properties Inc, one of the major donors for Habitat Philippines’ Typhoon Odette Disaster Response.
Mayor Hermenegildo Culpa of Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, also expressed their gratitude and appreciation to the organization and its partners for extending aid to the affected families in their municipality. He said in a statement, “The presence and support of Habitat for Humanity Philippines in the municipality is deemed to be a great intervention and aid to the local government unit in giving compassionate assistance to vulnerable affected family beneficiaries in building back their respective shelters better and resilient condition.”
Partnering with local government units and leveraging on the resources and capacity of other community development organizations, Habitat Philippines has distributed hygiene and household kits to 800 families in Southern Leyte and Cebu.
“Through our collaboration with Habitat Philippines, the local government, and the community volunteers, we were able to deliver essential household items to typhoon-affected families as they struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives. The assistance and our presence in the communities also brought a message of hope and solidarity that they are not forgotten and that we are with them in rebuilding their lives,” said Sindhy Obias, executive director of the Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development, Inc., which helped distribute the kits in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte.
“Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity in the Typhoon Odette emergency response has given back joy, value, and dignity to the families, who received the household kits and hygiene kits. Amidst the crisis brought by Typhoon Odette, there are institutions and organizations that are willing to help them rise once again and move forward in their journey,” said Fr. Alden John Baran, program director of Cebu Caritas, Inc., which mobilized the relief operations in Carcar, Cebu.
Following the Pathways to Permanence strategy, Habitat for Humanity Philippines targets to help address the vulnerabilities and long-term recovery of disaster-affected families through permanent houses and resettlement of families living in danger and no-build zones. Habitat Philippines continues to coordinate with LGUs to help develop comprehensive plans for permanent, adequate, and safer settlements for affected families and build sustainable, disaster-resilient communities.
Support Habitat Philippines’ disaster recovery program: habitat.org.ph/donatenow
50 homes for Haiyan survivors
Habitat Philippines, Lions Clubs International to build 50 homes for Haiyan survivors
(PASTRANA, Leyte) More than seven years after the grueling impact of Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte, 50 more homes for survivor families are soon to rise in Barangay District IV, Pastrana through the partnership of Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Lions Clubs International, and the municipal government.
Present in the Groundbreaking Ceremony last April 23, 2021 were Pastrana Mayor Maritess Cayaco-Marcos, Habitat Philippines Chief Development Officer Lala Baldelovar, Lions Clubs MD 301-B2 District Governor Lion Jude Abenoja, and representatives from the local government and the community to mark the start of construction. This housing project aims to fulfill the commitment of Lions Clubs International, through the Lions Clubs International Foundation, to build 200 disaster-resilient, permanent homes in Leyte to relocate the typhoon-affected families living in transitional shelters for years.
Since the Habitat-Lions partnership started in 2014 under Habitat’s Rebuild Philippines Program, 150 families have already moved into a much safer and decent home and have developed thriving communities with the support of the local government. The first 100 families were relocated in the Cali Site, Tacloban City in 2015 and 2019, while 50 houses were turned over to beneficiaries in Pastrana in September 2020. Habitat Philippines and Lions Clubs International target to complete the last tranche of the reconstruction program in the next 14 to 16 months.
Check out more photos of the Groundbreaking Ceremony here.
Rebuild Philippines: Haiyan
RATIONALE AND BRIEF BACKGROUND:
The massive destruction of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) last November 2013 brought Habitat for Humanity Philippines and
various local government units, private corporations, organizations and indivuduals together to help rebuild the lives of families affected by the disaster.
Barangay Sulangan in the town of Bantayan in Bantayan Island, northern Cebu was identified by Habitat for Humanity as one of the relocation sites for survivors of Yolanda.
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Stonewell
BACKGROUND:
The Philippines has a housing backlog of around 5 million. This number does not take into account families affected by both natural and man- made calamities which strike the Philippines every year. Therefore, millions of Filipinos lack access to permanent and decent housing and if there is no intervention to this national issue, the number of houses required is estimated to reach 6.5 million by 2030.
Some of these families have the means to acquire a simple, decent home. In Barangay San Pedro in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, families particularly comprised of public and factory employees fall into this category. However, there are not enough homes offered in the market that fits their financial capacity. Therefore, many families are forced to rent a place that they must share with other families.
Habitat for Humanity Philippines aims to break this generational cycle through developing communities such as Stonewell in Bgy. San Pedro, Batangas. Through this project, Habitat is partnering with all sectors to address these underserved families.
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Pasig 2
RATIONALE AND BRIEF BACKGROUND:
Thousands of informal settler families live in houses made of light materials along Metro Manila’s waterways, particularly the Pasig River. These make shift houses easily deteriorate and offer little or no protection, as areas on or near waterways are easily prone to flooding when rain and storms affect the city.
Habitat’s Pasig 2 site is intended to provide safe and secure homes that will provide sustainable protection for families living in these areas, or in other dangerous areas of the city.
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