GK builds homes for the disabled

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Elinon and Beth de Guzman travel two kilometers daily on their wheelchairs to work in Bahay Pangarap, a rehab center for the disabled cum factory workshop run by the Immaculate Concepcion Sisters in Barangay San Agustin in Novaliches.

They and other disabled people work eight hours a day making woodcrafts and novelty items that are sold to students, earning a daily wage of P165.

Alex and Beth have an even bigger reason to smile these days.

At the end of the day, they look forward to going home to their brand new homes in GK Bagong Pag-asa Village in Novaliches built for them by Gawad Kalinga (GK).

“This is a dream come true for us. We’ve long been waiting to own our homes and now it has come true,” said Beth, who was crippled since childhood.

Alex is equally ecstatic about their colorful and spacious new house that is disable-friendly.

“Most of us don’t have homes because of poverty. Being disabled, it was difficult to earn a living and our salaries are enough only for the food of our families. Owning a house was a farfetched dream for us. We are indeed very grateful to Gawad Kalinga and the donors,” Alex said.

“Life is hard but there are people who help us. We begin to have faith in ourselves, dignity and hope that’s why we are very thankful to GK, to Tony Meloto and to Couples for Christ New Jersey chapter,” he added.

Today, there are seven newly built houses in GK Bagong Pag-asa Village, donated by the Couples for Christ (CFC)-New Jersey.

GK is targeting to complete 200 more homes for 235 beneficiary families, majority of whom are physically disabled and paraplegics.

Welcome arms

Alex recounted that he and other disabled personally went to Meloto to seek his help. He said he got to know about GK through his brothers who are all beneficiaries of GK.

After their meeting, they were happy to note that Meloto and the GK people were very supportive of their concerns.

In August 2007, construction of the houses began, with financial assistance coming from CFC-New Jersey.

After paying the necessary equity of P16,000, each family pays P535 a month for the lot. The houses are given to them free.

The disabled beneficiaries said they are okay with this set-up and promised to work harder to pay for the lots.

Big change

Alex notes a big change in the Bagong Pag-Asa community since GK stepped into the picture. 

“There really is a big change and it’s not just the change that happened when we got our own houses. There’s been a change in the community, in the attitude of the people living here,” Alex said.

Vivencia Buela, another beneficiary, said Bagong Pag-Asa used to be a troubled place.

Bagong Pag-Asa residents were relocated from different slum areas, so it was natural for people of different backgrounds to clash, Vivencia said.

 “You know, before this place used to be a dumping place for salvage victims. People who live here also used to waste away their lives, drinking like there’s no tomorrow and then, after getting drunk, fight it out with their neighbors. But all this changed when GK stepped into the picture. Because of the values formation program, the residents’ violent behavior changed,” Vivencia said.

Talented disabled

Unknown to many, Alex, who was crippled at an early age, is a talented chess player.

He won two golds and a silver in the recent Paragames in Thailand. Another disabled beneficiary also won a silver in wheelchair fencing.

As a father of two, Alex continues to work in Bahay Pangarap doing woodcraft to able to provide for his family.

Meantime, among the disabled GK beneficiaries, Beth seemed to have the hardest life.

She contracted polio at an early age and both her feet were amputated. Worse, she didn’t have a successful marriage, leaving her to support three children on her own.

Before GK came along, she and her children lived in a cramped shack they rented for P600 in a squatter area.

Although her children’s education are paid for by the ICM nuns, Beth shoulders all expenses for their daily food, clothing, house rental, electricity and water fees on a P165-a-day salary.

Beth was motivated to own a house when she learned that once a cripple dies at Bahay Pangarap, the children of the disabled would not be eligible for any benefits.

So when they learned that the government through the Urban Poor Affairs Office (UPAO) was distributing lots at Bagong Pag-Asa, they took a gamble and borrowed money from a “5-6” money lender, pooling the required fee of P16,000 for the downpayment of the lot. 

They later acquired the 35-square meter lot under a 25-year payment term for P548 a month. 

Although the monthly fee is a strain, the beneficiaries said they still feel happy and content with having their own houses.

Meloto said he is amazed at the diligence and the positive attitude of the disabled.

“What I find amazing is their sense of dignity, their joyful spirit, strong nature and community spirit. This, to me, is representative of our people. Despite their handicap from historical neglect, they are showing us they have a strong sense of dignity and honor,” Meloto said.

“What we see in their community is representative of our countrymen. They have handicaps out of long history of poverty and injustice but when given love, respect, you bring out their capacity for hard work and productivity, that they can achieve a better quality of life,” Meloto said.

Meloto also lauded the efforts of Joy Dyduncio and Dicoy Macdaraog, both disabled but working in the GK Bagong Pag-Asa community to make sure this very special place turns into a beautiful and productive community.