Globe, Gawad Kalinga Rebuild 100 houses in Ormoc

Photo above: Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu shakes hands with GK Executive Director Luis Oquinena during the Tattoo-Gawad Kalinga Village market unveiling last February 4, as Ormoc City Mayor Edward Codilla looks on.(Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Globe, with deeply-rooted partnership with Gawad Kalinga (GK), provided holistic cooperation and shared nation-building efforts to rebuild houses for super typhoon Yolanda victims in a GK Village situated in Brgy. Tambulilid in Ormoc, Leyte.

Globe Tatto-Rotary-GK Village project is said to be Globe’s first housing project after the typhoon devastated areas in the Visayas last November 8, 2013. The initiative is estimated to cost P15 million, of which P10 million went to the construction of 100 houses for beneficiaries, while the remaining P5 million, will be allocated for the sustainable livelihood program for the community.

Globe Telecom President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu said that apart from the P15 million initial support from the mobile and home broadband brand Tattoo, an additional P1.2 million was raised, which were donations from Globe executives and brand ambassadors during a fund raising event in Globe Tower, Manila.

According to GK executive director Jose Luis Oquiñena, the houses built cost P125,000 each, and will measure 21 square meters in area. It will also comprise of a loft space measuring 10 to 12 square meters.

RELOCATION SITE

The relocation site where the GK Village is located was donated by the Rotary Club of Ormoc not only for the Yolanda victims but also for the 1991 Ormoc flash flood survivors.

“This is a relocation area donated by the Rotary Club of Ormoc for them and when Yolanda came, they lost their homes. Now our aim is to build a sustainable community which we will call Globe-Rotary-GK Village,” Oquiñena said.

GK’S ‘LIVELIHOOD’ PROGRAM

Oquiñena said that the beneficiaries of the Globe sponsored houses will also be involved in GK’s livelihood programs, which includes hollow block making where the recipients can sell the hollow block they make at P9.50 per piece.

Oquiñena also added that he looks forward to having some land areas near the village, where residents can grow plants that can be used for beauty care products under the Human Nature brand.

Human Nature produces and sells organic toiletries and personal care products.

                   Jerome Yntig, Globe External Affairs VisMin head doing hollow block molding. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

REBUILDING

Globe’s top executives, brand ambassadors and employees themselves initiated the construction work on the site of the village project last February 4, 2014. The Globe team divided themselves into six to delegate each team into different construction tasks: hollow blocks piling, roof painting, sand screening, hollow block making/molding and house wall painting.

Oquinena said the houses will be finished by the members of the village, who will get to own these units.

‘Liter of Light’ Brightens 200 Houses in Lahug

Photo above: Frm. R-L: Dr. Virgilio Y. Abellana, USJR Enginnering Dept. Dean; Collin Rosell, Executive Assistant of the Office of the Mayor; Illac Diaz, Liter of light head; Mayor Michael Rama and Vice mayor Edgardo Labella of Cebu City (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

After 11 years of living in darkness, residents of Laguera, Busay Hill Cebu City, finally had their light source after non-profit interest group, Liter of Lights, lighted 200 houses in the said village Wednesday. One resident, Gloria Tuico, 56, narrated her happiness after receiving the help from the global open source movement. “Nalipay dyud mi nga mahatagan mi og suga diri sa amoa kay dili na mi maglisod og lihok tungod kay ngitngit" she said. Tuico added the lighting in their community eases their worries as children can now walk in lighted road. "Karon dili na ko mabalaka sa akoang mga anak nga maabtan og gabie sa dalan kay naa nay suga sa ilahang agianan ug makatuon na sila sa balay kay naa na mi suga.” said Tuico. Tuico and her family has been living in the village for four years without light. Lampost A total of 400 solar powered bottle lamposts and lighted bottles were turn over by the group to the community,where the number of lighted bottles per houses depends on the number of the household. One bottle of liter of light costs P600 to P700 before it assembles completely. Engineer Efren Barabat, USJR faculty who trained the volunteers in making the light source, said its power can last for 8 hours, starting at 6 pm to 2 am, and automatically charges itself at sunrise. “Igo ra dyud nga mumata ang mga tawo before ni siya mapawong kay magsugod man ni og siga kung wala nay adlaw hangtod kadlawon, 8 hours mani… Unya inig buntag automatic na ni siya mu-charge kay i-absorb na niya ang sunlight kung walay adlaw." Barabat said. He added "bisag gamay nga init iya dyud na i-absorb ug makasiga gihapon siya, apan dili kusog kaayo ang siga kay nagdepend rani siya sa kakusog sa adlaw." Liter of Light Liter of Light is a global open source movement with the aim to provide an ecologically and economically sustainable source of light to underprivileged households that could hardly have access to electricity or are unable to afford it. Liter of light project is solar powered. It is made up of bottles, either plastic or glass, with assembled solar battery to store sunlight. It is filled with water to create a prism that captures light which it disperses to illuminate one specific place.

Lighted area using solar powered bottles in Laguerta Village. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Plan for the Whole Country

Actor-model Illac Diaz, head of Liter of Light movement said they are planning to bring the project nationwide.

“We’re planning to bring light not only to specific places but also to the whole country because it is also in line to the advocacy against climate change. This is safer than any lights because it is natural.” Diaz said.

Gratitude

Cebu Mayor Mike Rama has expressed his gratitude to Liter of Light organization for choosing the village to be their project's first beneficiary.

“When he (Diaz) said to me about this project, I immediately gave him my permission to pursue it because I know it is very helpful to the village and I always look forward for a better Cebu City which his project support a better living for Cebuanos.” Mayor Rama said when Diaz turned over the gift of light to the village.

No Light for 11 years

Villagers said they had no light for 11 years due to inaccessibility and inadequacy of electrical service.

FIP Showcases Celebrity Gowns

Photo above: Ribbon cutting. (L-R) Yves Camingue, Fashion designer and stylist, Bee Urgello, Queen Universe 2011, Rizzini Gomez, Ms. Tourism International 2012/13, Councilor Margot Osmeña, Shanon Pamaong, FIP president, Benjo Lencio, Daphne Johanna Uy, J Centre Mall Manager (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Fashion Institute of the Philippines (FIP) from Cebu, Makati, Ortigas and Cagayan de Oro brought their best fashion pieces in the “Celebrity Gown Exhibit” at JCentre Mall last February 17, 2014. More than 20 different gowns of celebrities created by FIP students and graduates were showcased to the spectators. FIP in Cebu opened on May 2012, with the intention of providing accessibility to aspiring students in the Visayas area. “Many students from Visayas came to FIP Manila to enrol in fashion design course. We see the potential of going to them instead of spending money of going to Manila…” said Shanon Pamaong, FIP president. Pamaong also added, that, fashion design is an “amazing course” wherein after six months of studying the modules, students cam learn a lot about the industry. Among these are, making their own designs of gowns, dresses and costumes. FIP Cebu offers a eight-module fashion design course worth P10,000 per module. If one takes in a four-module course, each module will be given at P7,500. The course will span for six months.

Celebrity gowns exhibit. Gowns created by renowned FIP graduates including Renee Salud, Francis Libiran, designer of Megan Young’s Miss World winning gown, Maricar Reyes’ wedding gown, and TV personalities like Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo; Los Angeles-based designer Oliver Tolentino, who's doing designs of Hollywood celebrities and Oscar Awards red carpet gowns, exhibited at JCenter Mall until Febg. 28. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Courses include Basic Fashion Design, Basic Pattern Making, Children’s wear, Menswear, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Styling, Fashion Make-up, Fashion Hairstyling, Fashion Photography, Fashion Embellishments and Beading, Fashion Accessories, Bag Making, Sewing for Ladies’ Wear, Menswear Tailoring, and Haute Couture Techniques.

Megan Young's dress during Miss World

Renowned top designers in the Philippines who graduated from FIP are Renee Salud; Albert Andrada, formerly Dubai-based, and now operating his haute couture boutique at Greenbelt 5; Francis Libiran, designer of Megan Young’s Miss World winning gown, Maricar Reyes’ wedding gown, and TV personalities like Angel Locsin, Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo; Oliver Tolentino, Los Angeles-based designer for a lot of Hollywood celebrities and Oscar Awards red carpet gowns; to name a few.

For inquiries, visit website www.fashioninstitutephilippines.com or visit office at 2nd floor CAP Bldg., Jones Ave., Cebu City. You may also contact them thru their contact numbers: 0932-8742666/0932-8698492 and (032) 253- 5887.

Meanwhile “Celebrity Gown Exhibit” at JCentre Mall will be open until Feb. 28.