For Yolanda survivors Tzu Chi turns over 100 houses in Palo, Leyte

CEBU, Philippines -  The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation-Philippines had turned over 100 units of houses for as many family-beneficiaries who were super typhoon Yolanda survivors in Palo town of Leyte, during the turnover ceremony last Wednesday.

Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla said the housing site, known as the Tzu Chi Great Love Village, is located at Barangay San Jose, about five kilometers from the town’s coastline, with the lot provided by the municipal government.

The half-day turnover ceremony started with a Lion Dance and ended with a turnover of the certificates of ownership and keys to each of the 100 family-beneficiaries who came from the coastal barangays of Tacuranga and Baras, which were devastated by Yolanda’s storm surges.

Their turned-over 100 units were part of the phase 1 of the project, while the remaining 160 units will be turned over to the beneficiaries either by the end of December or January next year.

Alfredo Li, chief executive officer of Tzu Chi-Philippines, said the bungalow houses, consisting mostly of metal and concrete materials pre-fabricated in Taiwan, cost P150,000 each.

Li said the foundation and the beneficiaries were both “happy and grateful” because the date of the turnover also marked the 20th anniversary of Tzu Chi-Philippines. He also lauded the LGU and the volunteers of All Hands, a humanitarian organization from the US, for helping the foundation in constructing the houses.

The Tzu Chi Great Love Village has five streets: Kalipayan (happiness), Maloloy-on (Merciful), Kamingawan (Tranquility), Buotan (Good) and Mahatagon (Generous), names that Li said were chosen to remind residents of the values that they should emulate.

Li said the village was the result of the outpouring of love and generosity of the people from 47 countries, including Zimbabwe, which is even poorer than the Philippines. In Taiwan, 40,000 volunteers worked for six months, taking only two days off in each, to finish the pre-fabrication of the materials on time for shipment to the Philippines.

He also extolled on the recipients to learn generosity, by sharing “piso-piso a day,” which is periodically collected to become part of a pooled fund from 46 other countries where Tzu Chi has a presence. “They say Tzu Chi is rich. It is not. It is rich in love,” said Li, adding that generosity starts to turn the wheel of love and peace.

Petilla, for her part, encouraged the beneficiaries to follow the village regulations, such as “no smoking, no gambling and no drinking.” Yolanda taught them a lesson in mortality and that life is fleeting so this “second chance” should remind them to be at peace with all their neighbors at all times, she said.

Tzu Chi members also gave each household food packs to start them off, or help them with their noche buena on  Christmas eve.

A Tzu Chi member, on the other hand, clarified that Master Chen Yeng, founder of the foundation, respected all religions, and they are not helping people to convert them to Buddhism. She said she was a convent-bred Catholic, and remains a Catholic, even as she was an active member of Tzu Chi.

“Tzu Chi teaches us the right way to live, not on which God to follow,” she said. “Master Chen Yeng respects all religions because she believes that all religions are good and faith brings solace and comfort to people in times of need. We turn to our Gods when we are in despair.” (FREEMAN)