MANILA, Philippines - In the quiet community of Banai in Montalban, Rizal, the fury of tropical storm “Ondoy” changed the lives of the homepartners. But they realize that their community was given a second lease on life.
The Banai community is composed of relocatees from the areas of Tandang Sora, Balara and Commonwealth, Quezon City, where infrastructure was to be built where their shanties used to stand. All their houses were made out of makeshift materials. Some lived there for free, while some paid rent for a tiny shanty where an average Filipino family of five slept side by side like sardines.
Aida Siso admits that their finances were more flexible in their old dwelling place, but she would not trade all the money in the world for the peace and safety she and her family now have in their Habitat house.
First, she points out, Ondoy showed her that no matter how strong the flood, her house will stand because it is made out of concrete.
Second, she no longer needs to worry about her children’s safety when they come home at night. In their previous home, her husband had to fetch them because fights were common in their neighborhood. All the neighbors would run for cover as soon as a fight broke out, because it was inevitable that someone would draw a gun or a knife. In Banai, things are peaceful.
The sense of community is strong here; just how much was demonstrated when Ondoy hit. As the floodwaters rose, homepartners scrambled for higher ground, meaning the rooftop of their homes. While shepherding her family to safety, Aida saw the plastic container holding her clothes floating by, reminding her of the repayment money it contained and which she was able to collect as Habitat Banai’s official collector.
Ignoring her husband’s pleas and reprimands, she retraced her steps and retrieved her money. When asked what else she was able to save, she laughs, “That’s all. I wasn’t even able to save our birth certificate and marriage contract. I didn’t want to lose the money. The homepartners worked hard for that just to be able to pay the amortization.”
A block away, Teresita and Reynaldo Pavilion recount how blessed they were that the storm hit in the morning. Had it come during the night, they were sure that the whole family would have perished.
“The floodwaters rose so quickly. We didn’t know how to get up on the roof because there was no ladder. I fell back into the water so many times,” recalls Teresita.
Thankfully, their daughter April, who was nine months pregnant, weathered the storm well despite spending hours in the cold rain with barely anything to eat. April shares, “I was afraid for my baby. We did not have any clothes to change into. We had nothing to eat. But at least, we still had a house to go home to.”
The storm swept away the family’s main source of income – the sari-sari store and the money April had saved for giving birth. Unfortunately, Teresita had just replenished the store’s supply when the storm hit, so everything, even the capital, was lost in floodwater. Reynaldo augments the family income by driving a tricycle occasionally, but what he earns is far from enough.
Still, the Pavilions appreciate that their home is still in one piece. Despite their losses, there is a home waiting for them and offering them comfort.
Collectively, the homepartners of Habitat Banai agree that Ondoy has traumatized them. Aida shares, “Last night, we couldn’t sleep because of the rain. We become traumatized when it rains. Before, we used to sleep so well, even when it rains. Now, when it rains, we get nervous. We always look at the creek to see if it is overflowing.”
Despite this, she feels blessed that her home is intact, even if it did get flooded. “There was no damage to the house, not even a little. Just a lot of mud. But if our house was made of wood, it would have been washed out, for sure.”
This helps lessen the blow of the disaster for Aida, who realizes that many who live in shanties in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces had no homes to go back to, while others suffered irreparable damage to their homes.
Both families agree that the Habitat Banai housing project is a piece of good fortune. It has given homepartners a chance to live in durable homes that allow them to live humanely. The standard 42 sq.m. houses are roomy enough to accommodate the family and allow them to sleep in their own rooms and beds instead of cramped together on the floor. The community also offers a safe, peaceful place for its inhabitants, with no threats of gang wars, violent crimes and fires.
Above all, homepartners who, like the Pavilions, spent a good portion of their lives renting substandard shelter, are happy that they finally have a sturdy and safe home to call their own. “That’s the best part – the houses will be ours.”