Ang Magiting - The Official Web Site of Rotary Club Makati North

Home is where your heart is: Gk house turn over…..

By: Treas. Robert Syjuco
July 14, 2011

It has always been a fundamental aspiration of each person to own a home….in what manner or form depends on one’s financial standing….but no matter how grand or how humble, the common denominator is home is where your heart is.

It was with that thrust that we adopted the GK program is Ave Maria in the mountains of Sampaloc, Tanay. In most simple terms, GK builds humble but decent little homes in wholesome communities for poor people without their own homes.

The funds for building materials are sourced through a sponsor ( P85k/US$2k ) while the labor component is 2000 hours of ‘sweat equity’ by the future recipient. After the future owner completes his equity, he then becomes a recipient of a home. He can neither sell it nor transfer the rights to others. This breaks the previous practice of professional recipients who receive then sell their rights in other housing programs. The homes are built as decent communities with upright values, which in turn transform the mindset of occupants, for they no longer live in squalid and dangerous surroundings.

RCMN has donated a total of 8 housing units, including 3 contributed by our sister club RC Raffles City of Singapore. RCMN actually contributed more than 8 houses’ worth but some of the funds were used for roads. RC Sacramento of California also donated US$5,000 for clean water supply for the site. This will be implemented soon.

Since the delegation from RC Raffles City was here for our installation night, we found it appropriate to formally turnover the 3 houses they funded. It was a long 2 hour trip up the mountains past the traffic jams of Ortigas, Antipolo and Rizal. I prefer the longer scenic drive we used to take; it was like going through European Alps. This route we took was not at all scenic, but was shorter (2 hours is shorter?). I asked from where the recipients were, and I was told that they were from Tanay itself, as no one from Manila will take the extra long commute each day. They were on home turf, so no problem.

We arrived in three SUVs, Pres. Archie (hey that sounds new ) rode with RCRC Pres. Aaron Tan, PP Dr. Jimmy Daruwalla and PP Chin Koy Nam . I rode with PP Vic and Betty, Moly and Chris. PP Joe (THE dad of you know who) came with PP Ric.

After a few ceremonial words from Pres Archie, Pres Aaron and Mr Dennis Arcilla, the provincial coordinator of GK, we got on to the screwing…. of plaques of donation at the entrance doors of 3 houses RCRC. Who got to do the first and the last of screwing in of the plaques elicited a few laughs. You could see who screwed better.. and who screwed slower. In no time all the screws were in and pictures with the recipients were taken for Facebook, newsletters and posterity. We were served fresh coconut after and since it was a simple ceremony with no food, we left in a hurry as our stomachs were grumbling as it was past noontime. Some louder than others.

We drove some 30 min to Bulawan seafood restaurant on the way home. The food according to PP Joe was good, so we took his word for it…as the place looked like it had seen better times…think of it as a Batam Island resort many years before Batam became a serious tourist attraction. The wait for the food was looong…but is was well worth the wait. it was the best Filipino seafood and crispy pata I’ve had in a while. I’d drive back there if only it was not so far away.

We then parted ways as there was still the long drive home. I warned Vic I’d probably sleep the rest of the way home. And speaking of home, we were also happy that we had given a few families who, if left on their own, would probably never own a home. But they do now, and while our stomachs were full, I bet their hearts were fuller in their new found home.