Photo Update of the housing construction at 6.5 Ha Relocation Site

Monumenting (October 3, 2011)

 Foundation works (July 2012)

Laying of Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB)

The new SDI project in Mandaue City
(The 6.5 Ha Relocation Site Housing Project)

Forty-one (41) out of 1,200 household members of the 6.5 ha Relocation Site of Paknaan, Mandaue City are expected to transfer to their new housing units early of November 2012. Relocation Management Council of the 6.5 Relocation Site are in the rigid process of beneficiary selection for this 41 units.   

This new community initiative from SMASH is the newest Slum Dwellers International (SDI) 7 Cities Program Housing project supported in Mandaue City following the SDI Incremental housing project in Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association Inc. (LTHAI) both under the supervision of Philippine Alliances’ HPFPI, PACSII and TAMPEI.  

Below are some photo documentation for the relocation site. 

(21 workers from the community commenced the construction job on June 18, 2012)

(Houses built by some beneficiaries who did not avail for housing loan from the federation)

(The new satellite office for federation's savings program at the  6.5 ha Relocation Site)  

(Front: construction worker's bunkhouse  Back: Savings office)

(Rain water collected utilized for toilets) 

(Government provided bunkhouse as temporary shelter for evicted Paknaan residents)  

Initial Meeting with the PA-CV Legal Team

PA Regional Office, Mandaue City - The Philippine Alliance  (PA) consist of Homeless People's Federation Philippines, Inc (HPFPI) and Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc. (PACSII) is on their way to a bigger scope in implementing housing projects all over Cebu.  This year the PA started expanding its operations and along the way encountered legal problems in the past and foresee more legal complications in the future. 

Thus, last March 29, 2012 one of the agenda for Sustainability Planning which was attended by Atty. Marlon C. Baruc, Housing and Urban Development Office representatives Tonypet Juanico and Corazon Tumulak, Atty. Jose Vicente Arnado, Federation's City Management Committee members, and  Area Resource Center In charge of the 3 cities (Mandaue, Cebu and Talisay) comes out the need to create a Legal Team that would address the immediate and long term needs of our communities.

(L-R) Atty. Jose Vicente Arnado, Atty. Giovanni Tianero of
Mandaue City Legal Office and Tonypet Juanico  of HUDO)

The Legal Team consists of Mandaue City Legal and/or City Administrator, business professionals, technical person federation's City Management Committee In-charge who can assist in directing, organizing and sets policy for the large projects that the PA undertake. 


During its initial meeting held last May 2, 2012 at the PA's regional office, prior to the main agenda the team members confirmed their commitment to the alliance.  Moreover, the group also reminded that being the legal team of the Philippine Alliance doesn't mean that they are legal adviser rather the team’s main objective is only to set up policies for the entire PA- Central Visayas endeavors.


The outcome of the meeting was the finalization of the Memorandum of Agreement between HPFPI and MMVHAI which was prepared by MMVHAI's 20 first batch housing project and  Nonoy Chavez. 

New housing lay-out commences for additional 11 households

On September 2012, eleven household member of the Lower Tipolo Homeowners Association, Inc.  (LTHAI) located in Lower Tipolo, Mandaue City expected to receive their housing units.  Last April 12, 2012 community members of the association started to do the lay-out for the 4th batch housing construction.  During the first quarter of this year site clearing was done by community including women and children to give way for the said construction.  

LTHAI was an informal settlers organized through the savings program of the Homeless People's Federation Philippines.  According to Dometilla Subang, they started the savings program in the year 1996 for secure tenure.  Even before the Mandaue City government donated the lot to the actual beneficiaries, it was their intention to buy the lot from the government.  However, in February 1998 the City Mayor donated 9.2 hectares to the actual settlers in which LTHAI has a parcel of 1.6 hectare.  

The community started the site development after they were hit by fire in 2007 by land filling with the help of Urban Poor Development Fund and in 2009 housing construction began.  Financial assistance from Slum Dwellers International made the housing projects to happen with the technical assistance of Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives, Inc.   For 2 years time, a total of 126 housing units has been built by the community.  Community participation, active in savings, are among the criteria for identifying batch members. 

Knowing what's value receives and value taken away

Accounting for Non-Accountant Seminar/Workshop

February 19, 2012 @ Villanueva Resort, Catarman, Liloan Cebu 

Thirty-eight (38) Area Resource Center Bookkeepers and Cash Custodian from Mandaue City and Cebu City and the Young Professionals from University of San Carlos participates in the whole day seminar/workshop with Atty. Marlon Baruc, CPA being the speaker/lecturer. 

The workshop started at 8'o clock in the morning with its first activity singing the Happy Birthday in the tune of “Leron Leron Sinta” with questions written on the crumpled paper ball.  There were approximately 30 questions on the ball that whenever the music stops and whoever got the ball he/she has to answer the question. 

The workshop given was just to refresh their knowledge for proper reporting and bookkeeping in each Area Resource Center; to assess the processes they’ve practiced and shared to other satellite resource center. 

The whole day event was full of fun activities and learning. Tessie Viacrucis from Malibu-Matimco Village Homeowners Association Inc. (MMVHAI)  said “The activities during the workshop appear to be very difficult and I almost got crazy with the problem solving, yet I am very thankful for this because I gain more knowledge in accounting”.

The group of young professionals (from USC CAFA-IPD)