Photo update for MM Village Homeowners Association Inc. CLIFF housing project (Subangdaku, Mandaue City)

Cebu Institute of Technology University Construction Site Tour at Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc. (LTHAI)

Tipolo, Mandaue City (June 21, 2011) - As part of Project Management Tour of Civil Engineering students of CIT University, Engr. Suzette Pacana headed a group of approximately 25 students  (in their 5th year) for a construction site tour  in Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc.

Engr. Noel Zeta (PACSII Reg'l Coordinator) and Rey Tan (In-Charge for LTHAI housing construction) together with the student volunteer now a new board passer Engr. Jonathan Inez  guide the students during the tour.  It was the group's objective to explore new and low cost construction technology and production of Interlocking Compressed Earth Block (ICEB). Prior to the group's site visit, Rey Tan and Engr. Jonathan Inez gave a brief orientation regarding the housing project at the site's PACSII office. 

Currently, LTHAI has five (5) students from the university doing on the job training (OJT). They helped in the construction works like filling of ICEB among others. The five OJT's are Christian Kiyoshi Jacobe, Amir Saddam Alabat, Grezel Cabanero, Angelie Deguerro and William Maglasang all in their fifth year.

Bangladesh Leaders 2-Day Exchange Visit to Mandaue City

June 1, 2011 - DAY 1

Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines, Inc. (HPFPI) and Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives Inc. (PACSII) Central Visayas Region welcomes Bangladeshi nationals for an exchange visit to our Slum Dwellers International (SDI) urban development program.  The ten Bangladeshi nationals includes  Md. Shafiqul Islam Akand, Project Director, Second Urban Governance and Infrastructure Improvement  Project, Local Government Engraining Department (LGED), Md. Zakir Hossain, Assistant Engineer, Local Government Engraining Department (LGED),  Md. Saifuzzaman Talukdar, Assistant Engineer, Jamalpur Municipality,   Md. Shaiduzzman, Jamalpur,   Ms. Rohima Khatun, Jamalpur,   A K M Harunur Rashid, Assistant Engineer, Sreepur Municipality,  Azizul Islam, Sreepur Municipality,  Nasima, Sreepur Municipality,  Sadhona Mahal, Senior Advisor- Urban Poverty Reduction and Vulnerability, German Development cooperation (GIZ), and  Rukhen Uddin Ahmed, Adviser on Monitoring and Evaluation, German Development cooperation (GIZ)

Drawing of expectations from the Bangladeshi Team

     

* To know the interventions of HPFPI/PACSII on how they encourage the community to unite themselves and to start the savings programs

* How they started the federation of the communities and how the other group like the government and the academe come together to support them and to help them to plan and also to execute some of the housing for urban poor or relocation scheme for the urban poor. 

After a brief orientation with some PowerPoint presentation done at the CV Regional office, the group headed to LTHAI's ICEB production site to observe the production how is it done and its methodology. 

The first day activity ended with the group's engagement with Mandaue City Administrator Atty. James Abadia in behalf of the city mayor who happens to be out of town that day and City Councilor Diosdado "Dadie" Suico.

June 2, 2011 - DAY 2 - Community Intervention

The community of Malibu Matimco Village Homeowners Association Inc. headed by Dolieta Magdadaro and Nelda Suan were among the community members who shared their personal experiences to the group.  The highlights were tips given by the community on the DO's and DON'TS  with a community leader and this includes: 

1) Understand the different attitudes and characters of the members. As a leader we should consider them so that we could understand every member; 2) listen to their problems; 3) a leader must be understandable, patience, supportive, industrious; 4) should be a model for others and a strong one; 5) if there’s a problem encountered, sit down and discuss the matter until solutions can be found. 6) Do not own the community property (i.e. do not use the community funds for personal usage) and 7) Do not neglect the problem of the member.

Nasima and Rohina (Bangladesh community leaders) appreciate the community being organized and the sanitary technology and most of all they like the MMVHAI's community behaviour.

HPFPI-PACSII and Mandaue City Awards 12 CLIFF houses to MMVHAI

“Ang pag-angkon og usa ka desenteng balay maoy damgo sa usa ka ginikanan ug karong adlawa nasaksihan nato ang pag turnover sa 12 ka balay; 12 ka pamilya ang makapahimulos sa balay. (To acquire a decent shelter is the ultimate dream of a parent to their family, and today we witness the turnover of 12 houses; 12 families can benefit these houses.) What you have done shows what that courage, integrity and perseverance dreams would come true”. – Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes (May 29, 2011 @ the MMVHAI)

The Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines, Inc. and the Philippines Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc has formally turn-over 12 CLIFF houses to MM Village Homeowners Association Inc. last May 29, 2011.  A mass was held under a tent with the City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede, City Councilors Demetrio “Jun” Cortes, Diosdado “Daddie” Suico, Con. Beethoven “Toben” Andaya, Paz Turlao of the Presidential Commission on Urban Poor (PCUP), Corazon Tumulak of Housing and Urban Development Office (HUDO), Subangdaku Brgy. Captain Ernie Manatad and Brgy. Councillor Noel Fontanoza, and from academe like Archt. Joseph Michael Espina, Archt. Danny Ravina, among others graces the event.

The turnover ceremony was led by Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and Rev. Fr. Norberto Carcellar, CM the Executive Director of  PACSII as they hand-over a key (a gesture which the City government and PACSII turnover the units) to Dollieta Magdadaro the MMVHAI president.   

It was a dream come true for the beneficiaries of a 1.5 parcel of 9.2 hectares donated lot by Mandaue government to informal settlers located amidst a commercial district where commercial building entrapped the community. The area also lies in a swampy, low lying and no proper sanitary and drainage system built. 

Following the declaration of the 9.2 hectare as socialize housing for the informal settlers of Mandaue City pursuant to the Memorandum of Agreement dated February 4, 1998 the community started the land-filling of their swampy area and constructing drainage last September 2009 after the association acquired financial assistance from Asian Coalition for Community Action (ACCA).   Structural mapping followed in the month of October 2009, had a subdivision planning workshop where men and women grouped separately to show the priorities and preferences of each gender.  HPFPI team together with technical team of PACSII helped the community to come up with a housing design during the workshop; a house design was agreed to stand on a 32 square meter a two-storey with 3 bedrooms on the second floor and a terrace.  The housing project is intended for 311 informal settlers of Lower Malibu, Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

The association granted a loan of 1.5M for first batch of 20 housing units from Community-led Infrastructure Financial Facility or known as CLIFF through PACSII which means each beneficiary has to pay to the association of P75, 000.00.  The loan is payable monthly within five (5) years to build more units for their community. 

This housing project is a replicate from Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc. (LTHAI) which utilizes an alternative low cost technology known as Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB).  The community also provide their sweat equity as another factor to lessen the housing cost.    These are some of the fruitful results of the community initiative to improve their way of living.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank all the involve stakeholders in this cause and let our partnership be a testament of what we can do.” This is the parting words of Mayor Jonas Cortes during the ceremony following his full support to continue the housing project even with all the few opposing the development.