More than seven years after the grueling impact of Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte, 50 more homes for survivor families are soon to rise in Barangay District IV in Pastrana through the partnership of Habitat for Humanity Philippines, Lions Clubs International, and the municipal government.
Present in the groundbreaking ceremony last April 23 were Pastrana Mayor Maritess Cayaco-Marcos, Habitat Philippines chief development officer Lala Baldelovar, Lions Clubs MD 301-B2 district governor lion Jude Abenoja, and representatives from the local government and the community to mark the start of construction.
This housing project aims to fulfill the commitment of Lions Clubs International, through the Lions Clubs International Foundation, to build 200 disaster-resilient, permanent homes in Leyte to relocate the typhoon-affected families living in transitional shelters for years.
Since the Habitat-Lions partnership started in 2014 under Habitat’s Rebuild Philippines Program, 150 families have already moved into a much safer and decent home and have developed thriving communities with the support of the local government. The first 100 families were relocated in the Cali Site, Tacloban City in 2015 and 2019, while 50 houses were turned over to beneficiaries in Pastrana in September 2020. Habitat Philippines and Lions Clubs International target to complete the last tranche of the reconstruction program in the next 14 to 16 months.
To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit www.habitat.org.ph.
Banner photo: A community in Brgy. District IV, Pastrana, Leyte. Photo by Bobbie Alota, Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation