Housing project for Badjaos breaks ground

After more than five years of living in wooden houses built on bamboo stilts, the Badjaos in sitio Puntod, barangay Alaska Mambaling, Cebu City, will soon reside in concrete socialized houses.

The groundbreaking of the 140-hectare site in sitio Puntod was held last Aug. 1.

This site will house 153 Badjao households.

The Badjao Integrated Area Development Project (BIAD-P) is a partnership of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), the Cebu City government, University of San Carlos-College of Architecture and Fine Arts, Presentation Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary and partners from Kortrijk, Belgium and Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands.

The project aims to transform the Badjaos into a progressive, self-reliant community.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, City Councilors Margot Osmeña and Alvin Dizon and Honorary Consul of Belgium Enrique Benedicto led the groundbreaking witnessed by barangay officials and students.

Rama encouraged the Badjaos to learn the Cebuano language so that they can be better understood, thus, contribute to the unity among them and the Cebuanos.

Volunteers from Cebu City’s sister cities in Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands and Kortrijk, Belgium, who are delegates of the 21-day Multi-city Youth eXchange program, helped build two pilot quadrant houses using Inter-locking Compressed Earth Blocks.

During their four-day immersion in the Badjao community, they also participated in the coastal clean-up, ICEB production, mat weaving, pearl accessories making and boat painting.

Ma. Christina Aboitiz, executive committee chairperson of RAFI, lauded the efforts and persistence of Sister Evelyn Flanagan, Presentation Sisters coordinator, in helping the Badjaos in Cebu.

The Badjao community in Alaska Mambaling, Cebu City, is among RAFI’s beneficiaries under its Grants program.

For more information about grants, contact Jan Montilla at 418-7234 local 205.