MANILA, Philippines - The Zonta Club of Makati and Environs Foundation, Inc. (Zonta-Makati), a non-profit foundation, donated P2.4 million to the Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig for the construction of 30 homes at the Bayanijuan sa Calauan, Laguna the official resettlement site of KBPIP.
Since June, KBPIP has begun its own relocation of the families living near the banks of Estero de Paco. To date, 116 families have been relocated. Around 1,000 families are targeted for relocation every year for the next five years.
The ABS-CBN Foundation and the National Housing Authority (NHA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to co-manage the 107-hectare resettlement site.
“We were so touched especially when she (Gina Lopez) showed to us all those people living under the bridge and how they managed all these years,” said Zonta president Olga Martel. “Now that we have a chance to be able to help, we said ‘okay’ right away.”
“I think it’s going to be a good project because it’s not only giving them homes, it’s also giving them livelihood and values formation,” Martel said.
In March 2008, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources signed a MOA for the rehabilitation of the Metro Manila river basin, with initial focus on Pasig River and its tributaries. This gave birth to Kapit Bisig para sa Ilog Pasig, which was formally launched in February 2009.