Close to 500 houses for families displaced by the conflict in Marawi have been built as part of the partnership to support the city’s rehabilitation by leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc., the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
By the end of April 2021,491 of the 1,057 housing units planned for the first phase of the project were either completed or under construction. Holcim Philippines has supplied close to 72,000 bags of general-purpose cement Holcim Excel to the project sites in Marawi through its plant in Lugait, Misamis Oriental. Additional 85,000 bags of Holcim Excel will be used for the rest of the houses.
The reconstruction is being led by Marawi residents, 116 of whom were trained and certified by TESDA under Holcim Philippines’ ‘galing Mason program. The masonry skills and certification from TESDA will enable beneficiaries to explore job opportunities in other areas after completing the construction projects in Marawi.
Holcim Philippines Vice President for Communications Cara Ramirez: “We are pleased that this partnership project with the UN-Habitat is progressing well and helping the City of Marawi rise again. This wonderful update is a welcome development as we join the nation for the celebration of Eid al-Fitr. The continued recovery of Marawi is a testament to the resilience of Filipinos, and shows how our products are making a difference in the lives of our countrymen and the progress of the nation.”
UN-Habitat Country Programme Manager Christopher Rollo: “Eid Mubarak to our Muslim brothers and sisters! The Rebuilding Marawi Project, funded by the People of Japan, is steadily moving forward towards its goal of providing permanent houses to 1,057 families affected by the 2017 Marawi Siege. The ongoing permanent shelter construction in four resettlement sites and the turnover of Hadiya Village to 109 families are project milestones made possible by various partnerships forged along the course of project implementation. UN-Habitat is grateful for the strong partnership it has built with Holcim Philippines – access to cement is one major aspect of the partnership that kept the construction of houses unhampered amidst the mobility restrictions posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The project is part of a multi-sector effort to rebuild Marawi after a devastating conflict there several years ago that displaced nearly 80,000 families. In addition to UN-Habitat and TESDA, the project is supported by the Government of Japan, the Task Force Bangon Marawi, and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.
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Holcim Philippines, Inc. (Philippine Stock Exchange: HLCM) is one of the leading building solution companies in the country. The Company has a deep portfolio of innovative solutions fostered by a full range of products from structuring to finishing applications that can help local builders execute with high performance and efficiency a wide range of projects from massive infrastructure to simple home repairs.
With cement manufacturing facilities in La Union, Bulacan, Batangas, Misamis Oriental, and Davao, as well as aggregates and dry mix business and technical support facilities for building solutions, Holcim Philippines is a reliable partner of builders in the country.
Holcim Philippines is also committed to the highest standards of sustainable operations and manufacturing excellence with its plants certified under ISO 14001:2004 (Environmental Management System), ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System), and OHSAS 45001:2018 (Occupational Health and Safety Management System).
Holcim Philippines is a member of the LafargeHolcim Group, the world leader in the building materials industry present in 80 countries with over 75,000 employees.
