Fernando Zobel and friends: Building homes, building lives

MANILA, Philippines - It was a Saturday I never expected. Although I’m currently involved in several charities (all very close to my heart), I leapt at the opportunity when a friend invited me to attend a Habitat Build.

I wasn’t sure what the experience would be like.  Coming from a personal crisis, I’ve learned that the best way to keep things in perspective is to help others. I’ve made use of my time focusing my energies on different organizations, reaching out to people in need of help or listening to friends who just need someone to talk to.

Even if it I wasn’t sure about what attending the Habitat Build would be like, it felt right — something about just going made me overcome whatever uncertainty I may have had. It stirred something in my soul. 

Let me say that building for Habitat for Humanity was fun, tiring but absolutely fulfilling.

I woke up really early and brought my son Simon to join me for what was internally called, “The Fernando Zobel Open Build.”  I was told that once a month, Fernando personally makes sure he goes to build at a Habitat site to encourage prime movers to be part of Habitat for Humanity. How a man of that stature with an extremely tight schedule could commit his time and efforts to an organization like Habitat for Humanity was truly extraordinary, I thought to myself.

Fernando Zobel, with daughter Sylvie Zobel, goes to Habitat sites regularly.

Roughly two hours away from Manila, we were off to the ABS-CBN Foundation and Habitat site in Calauan, Laguna, where over 4,000 residents from Pasig River and the Paco de Estero were relocated. It was a mix of interesting people from businessmen, entrepreneurs, celebrities, housewives, students and corporate staff from different companies.  

No one was more important than the other. We were all assigned to build our own homes. I was in house #7 and #8, where Jim Fuentebella, owner of Max’s Fried Chicken and Krispy Kreme, served as our team leader.  His wife, Mavis Manotoc Fuentebella, and sister Sharon shared a house with me and my good friend, Karen Davila.

An in-house engineer taught us the ropes: falling into a straight line, which blocks to use, how to put it in the most efficient way possible.  It was such a “now” experience: enjoying genuine camaraderie, conversation and sweating while doing it! I discovered inactive muscles I didn’t know existed! I, along with the rest of the workers on our team, were subsumed in what we were doing. In so doing, we forgot about everything else, especially our own personal worries, and concentrated on building that house.

If anything, I felt we were doing the Lord’s work that day — and it made sense to remember that Christ was Himself a carpenter.

Next door, there was one of my favorite senators, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, and his sister Bernadette who, along with his fraternity brothers and Senate staff, were busy building their own house.  In jeans but still amusingly in leather shoes, Chiz was absolutely game and focused, but knew the importance of the event. His actions demonstrated what he always never failed to advocate in his speeches and legislative work. ”Itinuturing kong karapatan ang pagkakaroon ng sariling tahanan at bubong, karapatan yan ng bawat pamilya at obligasyon yan ng pamahalaan na bigyan sa lahat ng Pilipino,” he would say.

Senator Chiz Escudero, Mavis Fuentebella, Karen Davila, Bibeth Orteza, and Bernadette Escudero

But at that time, he didn’t need to speak: He was setting an example through his actions. 

 Actor Derek Ramsey and David Foster’s fiancée, Yolanda joined the build with the lovely Cristalle Belo.  Yolanda arrived for the Belo launch, but squeezed in the Habitat build during her three-day stay.  Competitive, focused and dedicated, Yolanda found the opportunity meaningful given the life she is exposed to abroad. “I wanted to do something good with my time in the Philippines,” she said. “I’ve been involved in several organizations, especially the David Foster foundation.”

CATS owner Felix Ang joined the build with his wife Grace and friends Alice Eduoardo and Small Laude. Felix is no stranger to Habitat, being an avid supporter of the Habitat Youth Council giving generously to encourage teenagers to build more homes for the less fortunate.

Fernando brought his own team, friends from Polo Tri and Victory Christian Fellowship led by Jun and Kourtney Camcam, who brought their whole family. Seeing the site strengthened Kourtney’s resolve that it is important to expose children to the less fortunate, so as not to let them take anything for granted. Habitat for Humanity involves a lot of students and children.  

I was proud to see my son Simon paint a house with kids much younger than him.  His friends — Isabel Martel, Michaela Eduque, Kaye and Kevin Yang of McDonald’s — have been committed the youth movement and raising money for more homes.

“Kuya” Kim Atienza, one of Habitat’s soon-to-be-announced ambassadors, couldn’t join but his wife Feli and children all came, putting in much love and effort in home building.

Building for Habitat made me see what we can do to build a better country.

Jim Fuentebella, Sharon Fuentebella and the author Mons Romulo

“I BUILD” is not just a slogan, but a belief and action we can all take in our lives. I build my life.  I build my happiness.  I build better choices.  I build friendships. I build more intimate relationships. And helping out Habitat, I can say I build a better Philippines.