MANILA, Philippines - The tragedy that storm Ondoy brought to the homes of so many people last year gave new permanent shelters for many erstwhile homeless people living on critical zones like of Barangay Sukol and under the bridges in Barangay Gatbuka and Iba Este in Bulacan.
This, after the BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of Banco de Oro, awarded houses to typhoon victims in Calumpit, Bulacan, which were turned over recently to the new “owners.”
BDO Foundation awarded 44 newly-renovated houses to the Ondoy victims which were previously developed by Lexber Homes and are situated in the BDO property in Barangay Pio Cruzcosa, Calumpit, Bulacan.
The houses sit on a fully-developed subdivision owned by BDO which was donated to the municipality of Calumpit early this year. They were funded and repaired by the Catholic Relief Services (USA), an international humanitarian agency, through the Archdiocese of Malolos as its implementing partner. Values formation trainings—aimed at making recipients aware of their responsibility in caring for their homes--- for the recipients were conducted in partnership with ANCOP-CFC Tekton Foundation.
BDO volunteers from the Community Builders group helped in rehabilitating the day-care and livelihood centers, including the clearing activities that preceded the renovation.
BDO Foundation is a member of the United Nation Shelter Cluster, which coordinates humanitarian aid towards the improvement of living conditions of displaced communities in settlement areas to include adequate housing and basic facilities.