CEBU, Philippines — Nancy Juario, a 37-year-old widow, had been living in a shanty mostly made of discarded materials like tarpaulins and plywood in the past nine years.
Together with her nine children, aged 6 months to 17 years old, this crudely built shack in the mountain barangay of Sudlon 2 in Cebu City had been their family’s abode until the Cebu City Police Office’s Mobile Force Battalion built a decent house for them.
Through its “Bahay Mo, Puso Ko” program, the Mobile Force Battalion headed by Major Chuck Barandog constructed a concrete bungalow house for the family. Juario was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the program.
The house was turned over to the family during a simple ceremony led by Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, CCPO’s deputy director for operations, yesterday.
"Dako kaayo ko’g kalipay nga gitagaan ko’g kalipay nilang Sir Barandog, sa Ginoo na wa mi niya pasagdii nga akong kahimtang karon, akong trabaho, labada ra jud ug pangobra, karon kay wa nakoy bana," said Juario
It was the third house donated by CCPO to selected beneficiaries. Barandog said they still have one house under construction in Barangay Sudlon I.
"And as of now, we are still looking for other private stakeholder sponsors para maka expand sa atong housing project," said Barandog.
Barandog said that the project aims to send out a message to the public that the police are not only limited to fighting crimes. It was also their way of reaching out to the community.
Parilla said that through the initiative, the public would feel the presence of government even in far-flung areas.
"So atong kapolisan ang mopa-feel nga the government is there through this initiative nga motabang ta sa mga tawo," he said. — FPL (FREEMAN)