AFTER toiling for five days, the over 700 volunteer builders who accepted the challenge to build 62 houses for homeless Zamboangueños at the resettlement site in the village of Tulungatung terminated work Friday.

The rugged terrain at the 42-hectare resettlement site has been transformed into a colorful display of duplex houses, which will soon be turned over to 62 deserving families.

"The Manny Pacquiao Blog". Click here for stories and updates on the Filipino boxing champ.

Initiated by the Gawad Kalinga Foundation (GK) in cooperation with the local government, the five-day Bayani Challenge was a test of courage, commitment, strength and sense of nationalism.

The challenge is now on its fourth year and had Zamboanga City and Sulu province as the sites.

Originally 50 houses were set for construction in the village of Tulungatung in Zamboanga City and 30 in Panglima Estino town in Sulu.

Mayor Celso Lobregat sought the support of the City Government and the private sector and the campaign yielded funds for an additional 12 houses for construction in Tulungatung.

These 12 houses were financed by donations from the City Government officials and employees, the Zamboanga Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, the Los Contratistas de Zamboanga, and some well-meaning individuals.

The GK1MB Bayani Challenge, which stands for 1 million bayani or heroes, is a project initiated by the Gawad Kalinga to realize the vision to construct 700,000 houses in 7,000 communities in 7 years from 2003 to 2010 or the GK777.

The GK is an umbrella organization of the Couples for Christ, a Catholic organization aimed to strengthen family life.

The GK uses the Christian approach in solving poverty in the country.

A total of 54 build teams -- mostly coming from other parts of the country and other parts of the world like Australia and Singapore, shared in the effort to build the houses in Tulungatung during the last five days.

GK top officials led by its executive director Antonio Meloto, chairperson Joe Tale, and national president Melo Villaroman were in the city to help supervise and join in the building activity.

Lobregat thanked all the builders for the remarkable accomplishment, the partners and support groups for the assistance and cooperation, and most especially the GK for choosing Zamboanga as the beneficiary of the Bayani Challenge this year.

The closing program was held last night and was capped by a concert featuring a nationally acclaimed music band. (Sheila Covarrubias/PR)