SHFC, Build Change partner for low-cost housing plan

To help address the challenge of providing low-cost and disaster-resilient shelters, Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) forged a partnership with Build Change, a non-governmental, and non-profit organization that provides technical assistance and trains homeowners, contractors, and government officials to build disaster-resistant buildings and houses. 

The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement took place Thursday afternoon at the SHFC office in Makati City and was attended by SHFC officials led by President Ma. Ana Oliveros and Build Change’s Kate Landry, director of program and partnership, and development manager of Hailes Macheahern, Fund and Partnership.

Through the partnership, Build Change will facilitate trainings to community associations that are under SHFC’s Community Mortgage Program (CMP) in Yolanda-affected areas in Tacloban, on how to build stronger and safer homes that can stand any kind of disaster. It will also provide technical assistance and trainings to Local Government Units (LGUs), builders, and engineers and ensure that the ongoing constructions and reconstructions are within standards.

Landry added that Build Change and SHFC will work together to promote community-driven reconstruction and advocate it to the national level.

In her message, Oliveros said the partnership with Build Change came at a “very strategic time when the agency is doing a lot of reforms and moving forward from a simple land acquisition program to making safer communities for the poor.”

Oliveros added that Build Change’s presence will be vital in capacitating SHFC partners such as community associations and CMP mobilizers so they are able to build safer communities on their own.