Fil-Chinese Friendship Village to rise in Leyte

MANILA, Philippines - The Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) yesterday signed an agreement with the Leyte provincial government to build 500 houses and five barrio schools in Palo town, one of the areas hit hardest by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The area will be called the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Village.

President Aquino, who witnessed the signing of the agreement at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang, expressed his gratitude for FFCCCII’s assistance.

FFCCCII president Alfonso Siy said the Chinese-Filipino community “reaffirms its full support to our Filipino brothers and sisters and to government efforts on the road to rehabilitation and recovery.”

Siy assured the President that his group and the rest of the Filipino-Chinese community “are fully behind you in serving our beloved country and fellow Filipinos.”

Siy said the Chinese-Filipino community’s donation for Yolanda relief and rehabilitation efforts has amounted to nearly P150 million.

The memorandum of agreement for the construction of houses and schools was signed by Siy and Leyte Gov. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.

Secretaries Carlos Jericho Petilla of the Department of Energy and Manuel Roxas II of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla, and FFCCCII chairman emeritus Lucio Tan also witnessed the signing.

Under the agreement, 500 houses will be built on a five-hectare lot in Barangay Barayong in Palo, with the project costing P40 million.

Five barrio schools with 10 classrooms costing P2 million will also be constructed.

Funding for the projects came from FFCCCII, the FFCCCII Foundation Inc., Federation of Filipino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines, World News Daily, Filipino-Chinese Amity Club, Overseas Chinese Alumni Association of the Philippines, Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association, and the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.