BalikBalay Project Raises More Donors During BalikCebu

Hundreds of balikbayans showed up in the Welcome Dinner and Handumanan Cultural Show organized by the Balik Cebu Committee of the Cebu City Tourism Commission (CCTC) last January 16 at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu.

Aside from a one-of-a-kind ‘Boodle Fight’ dinner served by Seafood Island Grill, which gave the balikbayans the thrill of once again experiencing this Filipino tradition, the program for the evening  was also successful in drawing donations for Balik Cebu’s ‘BalikBalay’ project for the typhoon Yolanda victims.

On top of the initial 10 Balay nga Payag (Nipa Hut or Bahay Kubo) that the committee received from donors before the Handuman Cultural Show happened, another batch of 10 units of the houses were donated during the show itself, as generous balikbayans and friends donated one, two, three houses, on-the-spot, courtesy of the respective organizations and families they represent, or even just from their own personal pockets.  

A replica of the Balay nga Payag presented to the balikbayan attendees during the Balik Cebu welcome dinner and Handumanan cultural show. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)

Last January 2, the BalikBalay project was launched with the partnership of Ayala Center Cebu, Miss Cebu Charities, ilovepilipinas.com, Department of Tourism Region 7, Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), the Cebu City government and the Cebu Provincial government. Its aim is to donate 30-50 units of Balay nga Payag to the far-flung area of Sitio Esperanza, Pilar Town, Camotes Island, one of those badly hit by the typhoon last year. The committee decided to have Balay nga Payag as the kind of house to donate to the survivors, for its many positive features and usage that could withstand tropical heat and calamities like earthquakes, typhoons and floods.

One Balay nga Payag costs P35,000. The BalikBalay campaign shall run from January 2014 to January 2015. For inquiries, email CCTCommissioner Tetta Baad at tettabaad@gmail.com and CCTC Executive Director Cinbeth Orellano at info@cebucitytourism.com or see Facebook page of BalikBalay.

Photo above: BalikBalay committee members hold the check from Ayala Center Cebu, donating 10 Balay nga Payag units for the typhoon survivors in Pilar, Camotes Island. (Photo by Mary Jane Catriz)