FOUR indigent senior citizens who lost their houses in Medellin, Cebu during typhoon Yolanda now have new homes.
Fifty-four more senior citizens who became homeless because of Yolanda will soon have new dwellings, thanks to HelpAge-Cose, a coalition of non-government organizations that promote the welfare of the elderly.
HelpAge-Cose executive director Franciskus Kupang said that by July this year, they hope to complete a total of 100 new houses for indigent senior citizens living in 10 barangays in the northern town of Medellin.
Four houses were turned over yesterday.
Municipal Planning and Development Officer Gilles Villamor said that the houses were built on the lots of the beneficiaries.
Four houses were turned over yesterday to intended beneficiaries in barangay Dayhagon and more will follow until they reach their 100-house target in July this year, he said.
Kupang said that 54 new houses are ready for turnover. He said each house cost P50,000 to build.
The 100 houses cost P5 million.
London-based HelpAge will also build one multi-purpose building in each of the 10 barangays where the elderly beneficiaries live.
The multi-purpose building will house a livelihood training center, office and pharmacy for the elderly said Kupang.
HelpAge will construct a total of 514 houses in the Visayas. Of the number, 414 units will be built in Western and Eastern Leyte, said Kupang.
Kupang said that they included Medellin because there is no group helping the elderly victims of Yolanda.
Out of Medellin’s 50,000 population in the 2010 census, 5,000 are elderly.
In November 2014, HelpAge International-Cose named Medellin as the most senior citizen-friendly town in the country.
