DMCI Homes supports book donation project

MANILA, Philippines - DMCI Homes, the leader in resort-themed residences, has signed a memorandum of understanding with one of its homeowners recently in support of the latter’s learning project called “Books For A Cause” (BFAC).

The agreement, which was made between Ramil Sumangil, BFAC managing director, and DMCI Homes represented by Ramil Lombos, the company’s senior vice president for finance and operations, as well as Jan Venturanza, DMCI Homes senior marketing manager, gives free storage space for donated books to BFAC in one of the real estate company’s properties.

As part of the agreement, DMCI Homes will be designating an area in its Makati property which BFAC can use as storage space for books donated to them. “The space is a big help to BFAC because of the volume of books that we have and the continuous arrival of books,” Sumangil said after the MOU-signing. The BFAC collects used textbooks and reference books for use of students and community libraries to help promote reading and learning.

For his part, Venturanza explained their decision to support BFAC, saying, “The small space that the BFAC currently has limits the number of people it helps. So we decided to come in so he can store more books and promote reading to more people.” At DMCI Homes, we will always be willing to support residents with advocacies like this because they provide a good example to others.”

The Sumangil family’s home at Vista de Lago in Taguig City and a small space in the residential condominium’s basement have been serving as storage areas of the BFAC since 2011. Sumangil asked for used textbooks and reference books for donation to his high school in Nueva Ecija that year. When donations, including cash for buying textbooks for poor schoolchildren, kept coming in, Sumangil decided to continue his personal outreach project and called it “Books For A Cause.”

Aside from donating books, BFAC is now putting up makeshift libraries in tricycle and jeepney terminals in different parts of Metro Manila to promote reading among tricycle and jeepney drivers and their passengers.

DMCI Homes has been supporting public and private educational projects as part of its Kaakbay program. In 2012, the company sponsored the design exhibition of UP College of Architecture students, distributing school supplies to 150 daycare kids in Bgy. Sto. Nino, Paranaque. The real estate company also shouldered the renovation of the faculty room of PUP’s College of Accountancy and Finance in Sta. Mesa, which was completed in February last year.