SMC turns over houses for Pasig River relocatees

CALAUAN, Laguna , Philippines  — Just three months after donating P21 million to build housing units in Bayanijuan sa Calauan, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) came back to Laguna to turn over the initial units to 47 families that used to live along Estero de Paco, a tributary of the Pasig River.

Known as the San Miguel Corp. Village, the houses were constructed in partnership with build partners Habitat for Humanity Philippines and Phoenix Sun International Corp.

Present during the turnover were ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez, Habitat for Humanity chairman Popoy del Rosario, San Miguel Foundation executive director Camille Buenaventura, special guest Kris Aquino, Calauan Mayor George Berris, host Bianca Gonzales, and basketball stars from Barangay Ginebra Kings, San Miguel Beermen and Purefoods TJ Giants.

“San Miguel has always been very committed to its social responsibilities,” said San Miguel Yamamura Packaging president Ferdie Tumpalan. “We are willing to help, even giving our time, effort and, of course, resources to be able to help our colleagues here (in Calauan).”

SMC’s generous support does not stop with donating housing units for the relocatees. “We have donated for the building of the 300 units,” said Ginebra San Miguel president Gerry Payumu.

“The next step is to find ways by which San Miguel could source some of its material requirements from the area, like raw materials for its many businesses, or possibly farms like poultries, piggeries, crab farms, so that livelihood could be developed in this area,” he added.

SMC also gave away gift packs to the 47 relocatees while the basketball stars played games with the Calauan kids.

SMC is the largest food, beverage, and packaging company in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Bayanijuan sa Calauan, the official resettlement site of Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), is being co-managed by ABS-CBN Foundation and the National Housing Authority.

A total of 632 families have already been relocated from Estero de Paco to Bayanijuan sa Calauan.