Third District Congressman Alfredo Benitez assured Habitat for Humanity his full support for their innovative housing project in Silay City, as well as their advocacy for green technology.

Habitat for Humanity Project in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City. Housing Coordinator Marie June Castro, Cong. Albee Benitez, Habitat VP Rick Hathaway and Silay Mayor Mark Golez.

Cong. Benitez who is Chairman of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development recently met with the Vice President of Habitat for Humanity-Asia Pacific, Rick Hathaway who presented the concept of scaling up their housing project using the cement bamboo frame technology currently being implemented in Bon Bon Resettlement Site Phase 3, in Bgry. E Lopez, Silay City.

Hathaway presented to Cong. Albee the idea of mix income home partners to spur local economy and pave the way for more self-sufficient and sustainable communities in all Habitat project sites. Habitat is also pushing for the use of green technology.

HILTI Foundation, the Habitat partner, Hathaway said, has committed to support the project which aims to establish self-reliant and sustainable communities in partnership with local government units and the private sectors.

With the commitment from HILTI Foundation, Habitat is targeting to build 10,000 housing units in Negros Occidental in the next 3 years, about 25 % of which will be full grant, while the remaining 75% of the units will be partly subsidized.

Based on simulation tests conducted by the designer and technology partner, the cement-bamboo technology can withstand a basic wind speed of 250km/hour typhoon, and a magnitude 6 to 7 earthquake.

In an agreement signed last year, Habitat for Humanity committed to construct an initial 100 housing units for the first year, and to mobilize funds for the construction of a total of 546 units.

The first 86 units are expected to be turned over in November, while construction for another 46 units is expected to kick off on October 25 with an activity with a volunteers group called, Legacy Build.

Last August, the 86 home partners have undergone four Sundays of training on Basic Community Empowerment and Management, conducted by a training team composed of the staff from Habitat for Humanity-Asia Pacific and Philippine Office, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, Office of Cong. Benitez, and Silay City LGU.*