"We have to come up with a solution; this is a concern a Filipino concern. It's not really a UK concern or Sweden concern which the money came from but in solidarity we stand with organization that’s doing something to enable those organizations to become credibly fit of what they do; to become powerful of what they do. We have the land we've got and we have to be good steward over this land that the city makes available for us.”
This is the statement of Joe de Swardt Head of Enterprise Programmes and Partnerships of Homeless International in a press conference held last August 11, 2011 at Mandaue City Mayor’s Conference Room. During the said conference issues regarding how the Homeless International/CLIFF became a partner of the upgrading projects of the 9.2 hectares donated lot and the government’s newly acquired 6.5 hectares relocation site located in Paknaan, Mandaue City for the 12 communities living along the Mahiga Creek were discussed.
Jenny Hyde the HI’s International Programme Officer also added saying “that one of the aims of CLIFF funding that the fund provided by CLIFF funding is the fund can leverage more funding and more resources within the project. So what can the government contribute, what can beneficiaries contribute is another source of funding. We’re also looking that the private finance in the Philippines would also get involved in the sector.”
Sarah Stravakakis, an active member of HI as CLIFF Programme Coordinator and is now an outgoing were also present during the Press Conference and the federation team headed by Sonia Cadornigara the Visayas Regional Coordinator of the federation, Leopolodo Chavez (CV Reg’l coordinator), Engr. Noel Zeta (PACSII Reg’l Coordinator) and community leaders of the 12 affected areas.
The HI team is on their 3-day visit of the Water and Sanitation projects at Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc. (LTHAI) and at Malibu-Matimco Village Homeowners Association Inc. (MMVHAI) housing project assisted by the Homeless Peoples Federation Philippines Inc. and Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives Inc. The federation expect HI’s revisit after six months as mentioned by Jenny Hyde.
(Find out more of Homeless International through this link www.homeless-international.org)
