Homeless Street Families Receive Own Houses

“Malipayon ko nga ang among pamilya magpuyo na gyud sa usa ka balay. Among kaugalingong balay. Sa una man gud, sementeryo ra gyud ang nahimo namong pinuy-anan (I am happy that our family will now live in a real house. Our own house. Before, Carreta cemetery used to be our dwelling place),” Arlene F. Ramirez, 32, beaming with satisfaction and happiness shared her story.

Arlene recalled that she was two years old when her parents made the graveyard their home. Having a family of her own and watching her children grow, she promised to herself that one day, she will find a decent home for her children as she knows that graveyards are not conducive places to raising children.

Arlene is one of the 20 Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) partner-beneficiaries who now own a decent home in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.

Through the MCCT, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VII has provided rent subsidy for a maximum of Php 4,000 per month up to 12 months.

During the house blessing, DSWD-7 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Grace Q. Subong could not contain her happiness seeing the 20 partner-beneficiaries occupy the house they rented through the subsidy from MCCT.

ARDO Subong thanked Pagtambayayong Foundation, Inc. for helping DSWD achieve its goal in addressing the problems on street-dwelling homeless families and help them rise from their situation with dignity by giving them the opportunity to change their lives.

Pagtambayayong Foundation, Inc. whose mission is to provide low-cost housing to the underprivileged agreed for a rent-to-own scheme for a pilot of 20 beneficiaries.

The 20 MCCT partner-beneficiaries have now the opportunity to own the house which were constructed by the Pagtambayayong Foundation, Inc. purposely for them.

Pagtambayayong Foundation, Inc. also teach them how to make chorizo in order to augment their income.

“Karon nga aduna na mi kaugalingon balay, paningkamotan namo sa akong bana nga mapadayon kini aron dili na mi mobalik sa sementeryo (Now that we have our own house, my husband I have to strive hard to be able to continue paying the house rental to ensure we no longer go back to the cemetery),” expressed Arlene.

Arlene juggles work and family. She makes rugs, learn how to make chorizo and takes care of their four children who are all in school.

She sells the rugs and strive to learn chorizo making to help increase the family’s income.

Her husband works in a company as roof installer but his income could not support the needs of the family.

The MCCT covers poor families who were not included in the regular Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

It provides assistance to homeless street families, families in need of special protection and indigenous families, which are not limited to education and health grants, but also include safe and responsive housing assistance with access to social services and economic opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions.

Currently, there are 539 active partner-beneficiaries of MCCT which are homeless street families.