BACKGROUND
Metro Cebu has a population of almost 2 million and ranks as the second largest urban economic centre in the Philippines . It serves as the main commercial, industrial and transport hub of the whole island province as well as the other nearby islands of the Visayas and northern Mindanao . The cities of Cebu , Talisay, Mandaue and Lapulapu contribute to the largest share of 42 per cent of the population.
As a result, a rapid urbanization has taken place giving rise to internal migrant populations who seek employment or other forms of livelihood in the metropolis. Consequently, the number of informal urban dwellers has increased. The inability of the government's housing program to cope with the demand has given way to more slum areas and makeshift colonies particularly in dump-sites in the province.
Because these are temporary settlements , the government will not locate basic social services there. In the absence of a presence of government, an alternate structure of society forms outside of the commonly accepted norms of law. It becomes a haven of lawlessness.
The Cebu Archdiocese Prison Apostolate has identified that a significant proportion of the inmates of Cebu 's prisons originate from these marginalized settlements in the dump-sites. As well, the Dumlog foreshore and the Mandaue Reclamation coastline are filled with the shanties of marginal fisherfolk.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project is to permanently remove 360 marginalized families coming from these different informal settlements and to permanently relocate them to decent housing, located within a community where members are taught to support each other in achieving a viable future for themselves and especially for their children.
The Cebu Dumlog Housing Village Project, now named San Pio Village Project has dual objectives of poverty reduction and community building. The Project has two major parts: the Community Development component, and the Infrastructure component.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The Community Development component will equip the 360 families with the skills and values to build their future, by engaging and guiding them to help themselves and each other. This component will also be implemented in stages. Initially there is the selection and preparation of the families, followed by their relocation to the new village, the formation of their Village Association, and their further training to become productive, responsible members of the society.
INFRASTRUCTURE
The Infrastructure component will build the village, its houses and its communal buildings, for the relocating families. This component consists of several stages which include purchasing the land, preparing it for construction activities, and then building the houses and community buildings.
Through the establishment of the San Pio Village and a Village Association, the project aims to: build basic community infrastructure and establish good governance structures; build capacities of family beneficiaries to enable productive economic activities in the community, and support social and cultural activities encouraging community participation.
The entire Project is based on three under-lying development principles, namely:
- Participation,
- Capacity Building and,
- Good Governance.
Participation of family beneficiaries is vital. Home Owner Partners (HOPs) will save up a deposit to express commitment to the program before they can be selected to become a HOP. Ownership of the project is reinforced through community contribution in the form of "sweat equity" in the construction of the houses. Families will continue to repay the total cost of the house to allow them to provide another family with decent shelter.
Participation in the Project is crucial for several reasons. It preserves the dignity of the Home Owner Partners and ensures ownership of the Project by the key beneficiaries, the Home Owner Partners. It also inspires learning whilst they are adjusting to a new societal environment.
SUSTAINABILITY
Finally, it supports the sustainability of the Project after its end in that they will have a vested interest to continue the operation of the Village Association and the implementation of the newly learned skills.
Capacity building of families will provide survival skills in their new community. These will be undertaken in a participative, community based manner that will encourage families to reflect on their present situation, reflect on and make suggestions about how to alleviate their situation, and identify what resources (community and external) are needed to fulfil these needs.
Within the Project, various community groups will be established to train families on good governance .
The current culture of poverty of living in a marginalized society has taught the majority of these families to be individuals, and not to rely on others. This San Pio Village Project will endeavour to educate the Home Owner Partners what it means to be members of a community, where all have roles to play, and where all are accountable to the other members for living out these roles.
The project is expected to achieve a number of outcomes starting from the acquisition of the project site up to the establishment of the village association and the development of a responsive membership. The completion of the project is expected in three years.
Construction of houses will be conducted in six-monthly phase over three years. The project is currently completing the land preparation process. Building aims to start early 2006.
The City Government of Talisay has committed to provide basic infrastructure of the project site such as roads and drainage.
Habitat (see our Partners page) is in the process of putting together house designs and establishing a timeline for the construction implementation of the project.
A Memoranda of Agreement between the lead agency Newscoop and BCA is to be signed very shortly. All other project partners and BCA have signed MOAs between them. Project Partners include JPIC, Bethlehem Day Care Foundation Inc, Newscoop and the local City of Talisay (see our Partners page).
An Overall Project Manager, Margarte Matheu who is based in Cebu has been hired who commenced work in September 2005. For more information visit our newsletter page.
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