Several hundred homeless families in Minglanilla town have received an early Christmas present after they were chosen as beneficiaries of the housing project of the Cebu provincial government and Gawad Kalinga dubbed as the “Sugbu GK Village.”
Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia led the groundbreaking ceremony of the housing project along with top officials of the Aboitiz Inc., Lexmark Research and Development and GK Community Development Foundation.
About 300 to 400 houses will be constructed in a 9.4-hectare lot donated by the Aboitiz Inc. in barangay Tunghaan.
Garcia expressed gratitude to the effort and generosity of the project’s sponsors who spared their extra income for the so-called “poorest of the poor” in the municipality.
Garcia considered the project as a “global showcase” of every Cebuanos abroad since it showed how they were able to combat poverty in their hometown.
“When we are together, we can certainly build a community that makes every Cebuano be proud of,” she said.
For his part, Tony Meloto, founder and former executive director of GK, said the “Sugbu GK Village” is probably the biggest GK village to be built in Cebu.
But Meloto said such project would not materialize without the generosity of the sponsors who were very supportive to the endeavor against poverty.
He said GK in Cebu was finally realized because of the “credible and dependable” sponsors who exerted efforts to provide houses to homeless Cebuanos.
At least 750 families will benefit the housing project and GK is eying 3,000 more houses to be constructed in other towns of the province in 2008.
Aside from housing, GK will also build multi-purpose hall, medical clinic, school, basketball court and even farmyard for the livelihood program of the residents.
The Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation is a Philippine-based anti-poverty and nation-building movement launched by Couples for Christ to care for poor Filipinos and survivors of natural disasters. – Gerome M. Dalipe/LPM