SM building homes for Cebu victims

BOGO CITY, Cebu, Philippines – The SM Group, through SM Cares, yesterday broke ground for its housing project in Barangay Pulambato here. The project aims to lessen the burden of residents in the area badly hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8.

Two hundred houses will be built starting next month. The project is set to be completed in nine months.

Hans Sy, president of SM Prime Holdings, told the media that since most of the public’s attention was centered on
Tacloban City, he asked their team to conduct surveys in other areas devastated by Yolanda.

“We chose Bogo City as beneficiary,” he said, adding that the heirs of Wenceslao and Margarita Briones Fernan, represented by Eloisa Fernan, donated one hectare of their 63-hectare lot to their project.

Aside from Bogo City, Sy said they will also have a housing project in Palo in Leyte, Samar and Panay Island which were also ravaged by the super typhoon.

“This is for free,” he said, adding that the company aims to build houses that can sustain typhoons.

The cost of the construction of the SM Cares Village in Bogo City amounts to P50 million, with each unit costing P250,000.

Sy said each house will be built with concrete roofing, high ceiling, proper ventilation and utility-ready provision.

There will also be a community center and a basketball court in the village, he said.

Sy said the project is part of the SM Group’s over P100-million assistance to various communities in the Visayas affected by Yolanda.

The amount includes P20 million for immediate relief operation, P20 million for health matters, P20 million for churches, P20 million for education and P50 million for shelter.

Bogo City Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. expressed his gratitude for the project.

He said since Bogo City was too big to be adopted, he offered the Adopt-a-Barangay Project and Pulambato was chosen.

“We are in the process of selecting the beneficiaries. They will be those who are homeless and have no means to rebuild their houses,” he said.

For her part, Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale thanked the SM Group for adopting Pulambato.

She said the residents of Bogo are fortunate to get free land and houses.

Meanwhile, the SM Group also announced that they are inviting partners to join them in the housing project to be able to reach their 1,000 target houses.

Interested donors may visit the SM City Cebu mall administration office located at the second level of the Northwing.

SM Cares guarantees that its goal is not just to serve as the retail industry leader, but also to act as a catalyst toward positive change in the nation and lead by example when it comes to corporate social responsibility.