100 houses to be built in Agujo resettlement lot

About a hundred disaster-resilient houses will soon be built at a resettlement site for people displaced by supertyphoon Yolanda in Daanbantayan town.

The project is part of the public and private sector partnership between the Cebu provincial government, the municipal government of Daanbantayan town and the French-Philippines United Action (FPUA).

Lafarge Cement Co., a French industrial conglomerate with business interests in the country, will supply the construction materials while Habitat for Humanity will manage the people who will work on the actual building of the houses.

Lafarge operates cement factories in the Philippines including one in Danao City.

The provincial government donated a 5,400 square meter resettlement site for the estimated 3,000 families who were moved out from coastal areas that were classified as “danger zones.”

Mayor Augusto Corro of Daanbantayan said this is just the first resettlement site and more will be created with the help of Lafarge and Habitat for Humanity.

Corro said his sister, Elaine, will also donate a three hectare lot in Daanbantayan to be used as a resettlement site.

“Yes, Daanbantayan fell on its knees, but it is determined to wipe the dust off and move forward.” Corro said in his speech at yesterday’s groundbreaking of the resettlement site in barangay Agujo.
companies, groups.

He described the wide destruction that supertyphoon Yolanda wrought in Central Visayas including Daanbantayan where 95 percent of the town’s houses were destroyed.

He thanked those who helped make the resettlement site a reality. These included French Ambassador Gilles Garachon, France-Philippines United Action CEO/President Lafarge Don Lee, Habitat for Humanity Philippines Chief Executive Officer Charlie Ayco, President of the French Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines Cyril Rocke, and the Cebu provincial government.

These companies and organizations came over to this town to help us rebuild our lives, Corro added.

The units were a full grant and beneficiaries don’t have to pay for it, but they have to commit to help in building other units for other beneficiaries, said Don Lee.

Lee said the cost for each duplex type unit is about P200,000.

Each unit sits on a 3.5 sq.m. by 6.5 sq.m. lot with a roof made of cement.

Lee said the the total cost of the project is $500,000.

Last Friday, Mandaue City officials led by Mayor Jonas Cortes also handed over at least P400,000 financial assistance to three Bantayan towns, which were affected by typhoon Yolanda.

Madridejos and Sta. Fe towns each received P400,000 while Bantayan town got P550,000.