The 10 housing units built under Goducate’s Project Silong were handed over to the occupants during a ceremony held on May 29. The houses were built for some of the people who lost their homes during last November’s Typhoon Ulysses (see blogs on March 12 and April 9).
The houses were built over a period of 8 weeks by members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 4A , which is led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Ledon Monte. The land for the project, at Barangay Tagumpay, Bay, Laguna, was provided by the Local Government Unit led by Municipal Mayor, Hon. Jose O. Padrid.
At the ceremony, the beneficiaries were given the certificates of ownership of their new homes, and they expressed their gratitude. The volunteers too were given certificates and a token of appreciation for the many hours they spent building the houses.
Speakers at the handover ceremony included Goducate founder Dr. Paul Choo, and the sponsor of the houses, Dr. Low Lee Yong, who gave their messages virtually.
The guest speaker and guest of honor, former Regional Director of Police Regional Office 4A (PRO4A) and presently the Sergeant at Arms of the national legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, Police Major General Mao Aplasca (Ret), and the Regional Director of PRO4A, Police Brigadier General (PBGen) Eliseo DC Cruz, also gave encouraging and inspiring messages.
Even before the ten housing units were finished, an additional unit (still unbuilt) was donated by PBGen Eliseo DC Cruz. As Dr Paul Choo said, “Our journey and partnership does not end today, but it is just phase 1”. Phase 2 of Project Silong is still to come.
*Our guest writer is Donnalyn Pereira, one of our Camp Goducate staff, Laguna.