“I consider this my mansion now,” said Noralyn Bangon as she received the keys to her new house. Her “mansion” is a 24-square-metre house built by Xavier University and its partners for families displaced by the war in Marawi City, Philippines last year. While the living space may sound tiny for a family, it is huge for people like Bangon who lost everything in the war.
“We went back to zero. All the things we had worked hard for were gone. If it weren’t for the help of our relatives, siblings and friends, we would have nothing,” said Bangon. “I cried when I learnt that I was one of the beneficiaries of this housing project.”
Her house is part of the transitory resettlement village Xavier University is building in Sagonsongan, Marawi in partnership with the Office of the Vice President of the Philippines. The “Angat Buhay” (Better Life) village will provide the displaced families with a place to call home while they wait for their permanent houses, which will be rebuilt by the government. The housing project is a continuation of the university’s Tabang (Help) Marawi operations, which began almost immediately after clashes between government forces and ISIS-affiliated terrorist groups erupted in May 2017. The conflict which lasted until October displaced more than 600,000 people.
Sixty transitory houses were handed over to the families on July 17, seven months after the housing project broke ground. In the coming months, 40 more houses will be built. Each house has a kitchen, bathroom, yard and rainwater catchment.
Philippine Vice President Leni Robredo led the handover ceremony, together with Marawi Mayor Majul Usman Gandamra, Xavier University President Fr Roberto Yap SJ, Eliseo Aurellado, Chief Operating Officer of the contractor, Metro Stonerich Corporation, and other partners.
“It’s heart-wrenching to hear the stories of the families here, what they had been through. What we want is to help them somehow relieve their suffering. We have many partners who are always ready to help the residents of Marawi,” said Vice President Robredo.
The houses were designed pro bono by United Architects of the Philippines – QC Elliptical Chapter. Funding for the construction came from donations from the supporters of Vice President Robredo, non-government organisations and all the Ateneo schools through Tabang Marawi. The city government provided the land, and water and electricity connection, and worked with Xavier University in identifying and screening the beneficiaries. Site development activities were undertaken with funding assistance from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Task Force Bangon Marawi.
In addition, the Philippine Toy Library Foundation put up a toy library for kids, while the Latter-Day Saints Charities built a temporary learning space. Xavier University has committed to working with the local government and civil society groups, such as the Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation, to integrate social formation and holistic community development in ways appropriate and sensitive to the culture of the Maranao, the Muslim people of Marawi.
“We are committed to strengthening the community here through social formation. Our promise is to be here with the community until May 2019,” said Fr Yap.
At the ceremony, Mayor Gandamra thanked all the housing project partners. “We cannot solve the challenges alone. We need the support of everyone because there are many more people who need our help.”
Local leaders and residents acknowledge that rehabilitating Marawi is a herculean task that requires massive financial and logistical resources and support to achieve, but as Vice President Robredo said, “These are only small acts we are doing but if everyone pitches in, the assistance we will be able to extend becomes much bigger”.
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