Just in time for the
first anniversary super typhoon Yolanda, SM Foundation through the SM Cares Housing Program gave hope to
typhoon victims by turning over 200 homes at the SM Cares Village in Brgy.
Polambato, Bogo City in northern Cebu.
The 200 houses is the
first of the 1,000 disaster resilient homes that will be given for free to
chosen beneficiary survivors of super typhoon Yolanda. Another 200 homes will
be built in Çoncepcion, Iloilo, as well as 400 in New Kawayan, Tacloban City.
SM Foundation is also set to break ground for another SM Cares Village with 200
houses in Ormoc City.
Presidential Assistant for
Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR)’s Secretary Panfilo
Lacson, United Nations Chief of International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
Asia and Pacific Margareta Whalstrom, Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III, and
Bogo Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr. led the ribbon cutting ceremony and
unveiling of the donor’s wall and village marker together with SM Prime
Holdings President Hans T. Sy and SM Foundation Executive Director Debbie Sy,
and members of the Fernan family who donated the lot.
Ramon Aboitiz
Foundation Trustee Fr. and Ernesto Javier led the blessing of the houses. Keys and certificates were then distributed
to the families to officially identify them as beneficiaries of the program.
“These
houses send the message that indeed, there is light at the end of the tunnel,”
said Mayor Celestino Martinez. “These homes provide a start for these families-
a new beginning.” He also thanked the Sy family, the Fernan family who
donated the land, and “all those who worked hard to make this dream come true
for the beneficiaries of the project.”
Governor Davide thanked
the SM Group for partnering with the local government unit in giving not just
houses, but a village to the community. “Now I can say that Bogo City has
risen. Life goes on and we are determined to bring the northern part of Cebu to
full recovery.”
Secretary Panfilo
Lacson, on the other hand, was happy to note that, “SM followed the standards
with the structure of these houses, and we are classifying these housing units
as permanent shelters because they followed the 250 km per hour wind
resistance.
Each of the 20 x 23
square meter houses is designed to exceed the requirements of the Building Code
and mandated standards, each house can withstand the winds and strength of a
Category 5 super typhoon without any major material damages.
The village has
utilities, basic amenities like streetlights, community center and basketball
court. In addition to its disaster resiliency features, the houses will also
have heat resistant painted roofing to help lower interior temperature and
increase energy efficiency.
The turnover ceremonies brought a lot of
joy to the beneficiaries. Ernesto Orque, who works in a fishpond, luckily saved
all his ten children but lost his wife during the typhoon. They lost their
home, too and for a year lived with friends and neighbors. Ernesto thanked SM
for “providing my family a new shelter and a new hope to pick up the missing
pieces of our lives ".
Eufrecina Tepait and
her family lived in a shanty and lost hope after the typhoon badly damaged
their house. After we learned that we are one of the beneficiaries of the
housing project, our hearts leaped with joy,” said Eufrecina.
"After the program,
donors were able to meet with the different beneficiaries who were all
survivors of the super typhoon. Families thanked the donors for the early
Christmas gift they received.
Among the very generous donors present
were Ramon Aboitiz Foundation President Robert Aboitiz, Rotary International
Past District Governor Ed Chiongbian, and Bernie and Alice Liu of Golden ABC.
Also present were FCB Manila’s Nikki Diyco, Jun Young Bang and Tony Park of
Tony and Jackey Beauty Salon; as well as executives from the SM Store, Watsons, SM Appliance
Center. Also present were USEC
Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Danny Antonio and SM
Supermalls President Annie Garcia.
The village’s streets
are named after the major donors –Fernan Street, Acre Aircon Street, All Around
Street, Asya Design Street, SM Appliance Street, Watsons Street, Boysen Street,
Rotary International Street, and Paul Harris Street. British model David Gandy,
also a donor, had the street named after his grandmother Doreen.
The SM Cares Housing
project is fully privately-funded by SM, its business partners, stakeholders
and by the communities it serves.
The SM Cares Housing
Project is on top of the P100 million SM has already committed to rehabilitate
areas hard hit by super typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda in the Visayas.
Beneficiaries
of the homes in the SM Cares Village in Bogo Cebu receive their keys and
certificates from SM Prime Holdings president Hans T. Sy, SM Foundation
Executive Director Debbie Sy, UNISDR Margareta Wahlstrom, Governor HIlario
Davide III, Secetary Panfilo Lacson and Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez, Jr.
Beneficiary
Enersto Orque with UNISDR Chief Margareta Wahlstrom stand in front of his new
home at the SM Cares Village in Bogo City, Cebu. One of the 200 beneficiaries,
he considers his new home “a new shelter and new hope.”
SM
Prime Holdings president Hans T. Sy, UNISDR Chief Margareta Wahlstrom and
Secretary Panfilo Lacson lead the unveiling of the Donors’ wall and Village
Marker at the SM Cares Village. Also shown in the photo are (left to right) Lot
donors Nena Fernan del Rosario and Eloisa Fernan, SM Foundation Executive
Director Debbie Sy, Rotary International Past District Governor Ed Chiongbian,
Governor Hilario Davide III, Provincial Board Member Tining Martinez, Tony and
Jackey president Tony Park, SM Prime Holdings Vice President for Vismin Marissa
Fernan.
Eufrecinia
Tepait, one of the beneficiaries of the SM Cares Housing Project in Polambato,
in Bogo City, Cebu, is very thankful to the Sy family for her family’s new
home.
The
200 homes in the SM Cares Village in Bogo, Cebu is the first of the 1,000
disaster resilient homes that will be given for free to chosen beneficiary
survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda.
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