Among five Asia-Pacific countries, it was the Philippines that had the biggest turnout for two simultaneous youth builds for Habitat for Humanity last Saturday.
Thousands of 18 to 21-year-olds turned up in Navotas City and Cagayan de Oro City to build homes for the poor who were victims of two deadly typhoons in 2011.
The numbers stunned the organizers themselves who had expected fewer participants.
In Navotas where 1,800 young people turned up, Alexandra Madrigal Eduque, chair and founder of the Habitat Youth Council, said the Philippine contingent was undoubtedly the biggest that participated in Habitat’s first-ever Asia Pacific-Wide Youth Build.
In Cagayan de Oro, 1,000 youths came, making the Philippine total 2,800 participants. The total for all five participating countries—the Philippines, China, India, Indonesia and Thailand—was 5,000.
“It’s the bayanihan spirit that (contributed a lot) to (the number of volunteers) today,” said Eduque in an interview with reporters.
The 1,800 Navotas volunteers came from Rizal Technological University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde and International School of Manila, among other schools.
The initial goal to build 100 houses as a result was increased to 150.
Once completed, the houses in Barangay Tanza, Navotas, will be turned over to 150 families that lost their homes to Typhoon “Pedring” last year.
In Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City, around 100 families displaced by Typhoon “Sendong” also last year, will soon get their houses.
“It’s really fun, actually,” Cyril Salvadora, 20, a volunteer, told the Inquirer when asked what she thought of the experience.
Although busy with summer classes on weekdays, the incoming third-year education student at RTU said she didn’t mind spending her Saturday laying one hollow block on top of another under the scorching sun.
“What’s that compared to what other people experienced when the typhoon was here?” she said with a smile.