"Gawad Kalinga" to build homes for flood victims

Manila, January 2, 2012 - With thousands of public school pupils and students returning to their classes tomorrow, flood victims from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities may be left with two options, either to stay in cramped evacuation centers or be temporarily resettled in tents installed by the Philippine National Red Cross or United Nations' agencies in much safer and lesser congested areas.

Fr. Bienvenido Nebres, SJ, former President of the Ateneo de Manila University and board member of Gawad Kalinga said they will visit Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday, January 4 to check on the proposed sites where flood victims would eventually relocated.

"Marami naman talagang tumugon sa relief efforts at sapat na ang donations para sa mga nakaraang araw subalit ang pinag-iisipan na ngayon ay ang pangmatagalan, yung ilang libong mga tao na napinsala," Fr. Nebres told CBCPNews.

He said the evacuees are left with questions as to where will they return as Christmas and New Year celebrations are over. He explained they at Ateneo de Manila are duty-bound to help the victims through Xavier University.

Fr. Nebres who recently retired from being Ateneo de Manila University president said he was once served president of Xavier University that's why he knows a number of the victims and their nearest of kin.

"Gawad Kalinga found a piece of property measuring 3.5 hectares where affected victims could be resettled in Upper Balulang, near the airport and we're optimistic we can still get land somewhere in Lumbia," Fr. Nebres said.

Fr. Nebres said another 10-hectare property has been targeted for resettlement in Iligan City through the efforts of the city mayor.

Mark Lawrence, Ateneo de Manila's Gawad Kalinga coordinator for Ateneo de Manila University, said their own chapter of Gawad Kalinga is prepared to help in the construction of at least 200 homes.

"What we need is land," he explained. Mark Lawrence said those targeted for resettlement are those whose homes have been completely washed out. They will validate the lists provided them by various agencies.

Fr. Nebres called on generous Filipinos to support their efforts to rebuild homes and lives of thousands of flood victims. He said regular updates will be provided CBCPNews and China Radio International's Filipino Service for the donors' information and appropriate guidance.

In a related development Xavier University, then known as Ateneo de Cagayan de Oro earlier donated five hectares of its Xavier Compound at Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro city for the Philippine National Red Cross to build new homes for the flood victims.

Simple groundbreaking ceremonies were held last Friday, December 30, 2011 with Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon and Xavier University chairman Elpidio Paras. The event was witnessed by the representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Selva Sinnadural, local government officials and business leaders.

Gordon, a former member of the Philippine Senate said they will build 1,000 shelters as soon as the land is ready with basic service facilities and provisions for lifelihood.

In the meantime, they will build tents for the affected flood victims for them to move out of public elementary and high schools.