THE FIRST housing village under the UST Simabahayan 400, which seeks to implement 400 community development projects nationwide in connection with the 400th anniversary of UST. is now rising in Villasis, Pangasinan, the ancient Dominican mission in Northern Philippines.
The housing project, titled “Bahay mo Mula sa Puso Ko,” was launched by Father Rector Rolando V. de la Rosa, OP in a thanksgiving dinner last Sept. 2 at the UST Central Seminary.
Thomasian Bishop Jacinto Jose of the Diocese of Urdaneta had proposed the project to provide decent housing for almost 40 families from Villasis, Pangasinan who were displaced by typhoon “Pepeng” in 2009.
Architecture Dean John Joseph Fernandez said that each unit will cost almost P80,000 and will have a kitchen, laundry area, and an open front and rear to allow cross-ventilation.
To increase the floor space, there will also be a mezzanine, Fernandez added.
A chapel will be built at the center of the housing site.
The College of Architecture, together with the Faculty of Engineering, has been tasked to design the housing projects of UST Simbahayan.
According to Simbahayan Executive Director Marielyn Quintana, the housing project is part of the thrust of Simbahayan to come up with sustainable development projects.
“Simbahayan will eventually become a continuous development project of the whole Thomasian community, so that all our communist service activities will be under Simbahayan,” she said.
Father Rector explained that all Simbahayan projects will have a “definite Thomasian stamp,”
“We want to make it not only just a one-shot deal but as a continuing project so that all of our students, faculty, alumni, will really feel that UST is a big factor in building up the Church, the nation and the family,” he said..
To raise funds for the Simbahayan housing projects, a charity bottle is being passed around as part of the “Bahay mo Mula sa Puso Ko” program.
Along with the launch of the housing site, also presented was the Certificate of Religious Education Distance-Learning Online (Credo) program spearheaded by the Institute of Religion.
Other projects under UST Simbahayan include giving free Licensure Exams for Teachers (LET) reviews, catechism classes, medical and surgical missions, and the 400 Cataract project, which provides free cataract treatment to indigent patients. Bernadette D. Nicolas
Thank God for such wonderful and kind persons like you.
Good luck and more power, we here from Bolinao pray for of success of all your projects and future projects as well.