Housing project for Hanjin workers underway in Zambales

CASTILLEJOS, Zambales, Philippines – Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Ltd.-Philippines Inc. (HHIC-Phil.) has steered its continuing corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to new heights with the groundbreaking of its housing project in Barangay Nagbunga here recently.

During the ceremony, Jin Kyu Ahn, president of the Korean shipbuilding giant, said the 30-hectare land on which Hanjin Village will soon rise will be provided by HHIC-Phil. to the shipyard workers for free in pursuit of the company’s CSR program to provide them with the most affordable housing packages.

Malen Acosta, vice president of Pag-IBIG Fund, said at least P1.5 billion in loans will be available to qualified Hanjin workers who will avail themselves of the housing project.

Due to the collaboration among Hanjin, Pag-IBIG Fund, and real estate developer Fiesta Communities Inc., shipyard workers will be able to avail themselves of housing units with no downpayment or cash outlay, low interest rates by Pag-IBIG, and cheaper prices compared to other housing projects.

“The possibility of Hanjin workers having their own homes accessible to their workplace is within their reach,” Jin said.

The housing project will initially benefit 1,000 employees and is segmented into two phases. The first phase, comprising 12 hectares and 1,000 housing units, will start this month.

Hanjin workers will be able to choose from three house types: three-bedroom, two-bedroom or one-bedroom units. The same scheme will be observed in the project’s second phase.

The Hanjin Village site, which is 19 kilometers or 20 minutes away from the Hanjin shipyard, will have an elementary school to be donated by Hanjin, bus terminals to accommodate company-provided shuttle units to ferry employees free of charge, and a multipurpose hall, among other amenities.