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Pao Laguiawan and her loved ones used to worry a lot—foremost of
which is their home—the wooded shanty they lived in could easily
be damaged by heavy rains and strong winds. And with no legal claim
to the lot, they ran the risk of being demolished and evicted from
the place they’ve called home for many years. But times have
changed.
Today, Pao and her two housemates, her pregnant
niece Ena and Ena’s husband Ricky, have greater peace of mind,
thanks to the housing project jointly put up by Fuji Xerox
Foundation, the anti-poverty and nation-building group Gawad Kalinga,
and the city government of Taguig.
The Laguiawans are among 29 urban poor families
who were given their own housing units in a 600 square-meter site in
Taguig called the GK Fuji Xerox Village. The two-storey units, plus
a new multi-purpose hall, were built by employees and officials of
Fuji Xerox Philippines, together with volunteers from Gawad Kalinga,
and the beneficiaries themselves.
Negotiations between the local government and
the families are also already ongoing so that the villagers can own
the land they occupy at very reasonable rates and manageable terms.
“This is really a fresh start for us,”
says Pao, who left her hometown in Maguindanao more than 10 years
ago and lived in a “barracks” for a construction firm near
Heritage Memorial Park. Shortly thereafter, they were booted out and
relocated to a creek-side lot in Barangay Pinagsamahan, the present
site of the Fuji Xerox Village.
“Now, we not only have a new, decent and
durable house, but we’re also given a new hope. We are just so
thankful,” adds Pao, who now devotes her time doing volunteer work
for GK despite being a devout Muslim.
The Xerox Village endeavor is in line with the
Fuji Xerox’s corporate social responsibility efforts. According to
Romy Serrano, Fuji Xerox employees volunteered to waive their usual
weekend golf and other leisure activities for several months to lend
a hand in the construction of the houses. Some even brought their
families along to the site.
“It gives us so much pride and satisfaction to
be able to do our share in efforts to make the country move forward.
Hopefully the village will be a stepping stone for a better future
for each of the beneficiaries,” Serrano says.
Speaking for Gawad Kalinga, executive director
Luis Oquiñena says: “Bayanihan and volunteerism are important in
our drive to build our country so we’re grateful to have the
company’s employees as our partner in this endeavor. Their support
is a big boost to our cause and we’ll use it as further
inspiration to help more families in need.”
For certain, life has changed for the new
occupants of the Fuji Xerox Village, who can build on this fresh
start to move forward to a better life.
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