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Corporate Social Responsibility November 20, 2017

BDO Foundation builds homes for PWDs

An estimated 100 families in Barangay San Isidro, Sta. Fe, Leyte, each with a member who has a disability, now live in more comfortable and disaster-resilient homes thanks to the joint efforts of BDO Foundation and the Foundation for These-abled Persons Inc. (FTI).

FTI, with financial support from BDO Foundation, constructed housing resettlement units for a community ofpersons with disability (PWD) and their families. The community is considered the first of its kind in the country. The project benefits disabled individuals who were displaced by Typhoon Yolanda. Almost four years since the disaster, BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, continues to help people cope with the calamity.

The new houses were blessed and officially turned over to the PWDs and their families in an event witnessed by local government officials led by Leyte governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and Sta. Fe mayor Oscar Monteza.

They were joined by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, BDO Foundation program director Rose Espinosa and BDO Tacloban-Zamora branch head Jean Culas. Officers of the homeowners association led the residents in thanking BDO, FTI and local government for pursuing the housing resettlement project.

“As Leyte continues to experience calamities, we at BDO Foundation continue to respond through our corporate citizenship programs,” Deriquito stressed. “In Sta. Fe, Leyte, we are making a difference in the lives of residents by providing them decent and disaster-resilient shelter. Moreover, we are helping alleviate the plight of calamity stricken PWDs who are otherwise marginalized and deprived of opportunities due to their condition.”

The completion of the housing units was welcomed by FTI trustee Peter Hammerle and FTI executive director Lolita Gelle. FTI is a non-stock, non-profit organization that promotes the employment of disabled individuals by helping PWD organizations achieve economic self-sufficiency.

The organization provides disabled individuals livelihood opportunities by supporting their cooperatives in the production of school furniture such as desks and chairs, which in turn are procured by BDO Foundation for its school building projects all over the country.

Prior to the completion of the resettlement houses, BDO Foundation built a multi-purpose hall in 2016 to spur livelihood opportunities for the PWD community. This project was fully funded by donations from BDO employees.

BDO Foundation and the Foundation for These-abled Persons Inc. completed the construction of housing resettlement units for a community of persons with disability displaced by Super Typhoon Yolanda.