The Archdiocese of Cebu is setting up a housing project in the town of Boljoon for residents whose homes were destroyed by a powerful typhoon in December 2021.
The archdiocese has recently approved the construction of a “Caritas Village” on a Church-owned lot in the town’s Lower Becerril village.
In collaboration with Caritas Philippines and Caritas Internationalis, the project aims to help about 170 families whose houses were totally damaged by Typhoon Odette.
About 135 housing units will be constructed inside the Caritas Village, while the 35 others will be built in different sites.
Four months after Odette wreaked havoc on the island, Cebu Caritas has reached out to more than 81,000 families in 92 parishes with its emergency relief and early recovery efforts.
However, the national Caritas said there are still many families that need help in terms of recovery and rehabilitation, particularly those who lost their homes or are staying in vulnerable shelters.
The project, which is expected to be completed after a year, is a collaborative effort with other stakeholders, including the Patrocinio de Maria Parish and the Boljoon local government.
As part of the preparatory phase of the rebuilding effort, a tripartite agreement was signed by the archdiocese, Caritas Philippines, and the Boljoon municipality on April 23.
The agreement includes the local government’s counterpart contributions toward the establishment of the Caritas Village.
Present during the signing of the Tripartite Agreement were Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu, Father Antonio Labiao Jr of Caritas Philippines; and Boljoon Mayor Merlou Derama.
Also in attendance were Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Father Charles Louis Jayme, head of the archdiocese’s Relief and Rehabilitation Unit.
Last month, Caritas Philippines appealed for at least P400 million to fund its rebuilding efforts for the hundreds of thousands affected by Typhoon Odette in 11 dioceses.
