The Dubai Duty Free GK Village comprising 32 houses for survivors of Typhoon Haiyan has officially opened at Binotong, Alangalang in the province of Leyte in the Philippines.

 

In what is an incredibly generous gesture, DDF has used its Dubai Duty Free Foundation Corporate Social Responsibility arm in partnership with Gawad Kalinga (GK), a Philippine-based poverty alleviation and nation-building movement to make this all happen.

 

The village was officially opened on Monday 18 May, bringing hope to these survivors of Typhoon Haiyan which smashed into the Philippines back in November 2013 killing at least 6,300 people.

 

Following this horrendous event and with ‘various efforts from foreign governments and international agencies’, DDF says that it has worked with Gawad Kalinga to formulate a part of the rebuilding programme for those who survived the typhoon, by providing them with more typhoon-resilient homes.

 

Commenting on the handover, Dubai Duty Free Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin said: “We are deeply honoured to open the Dubai Duty Free GK Village for the beneficiaries who were victims of typhoon Haiyan and were left homeless. Today’s ceremonial handover of the symbolic key to these houses affirms Dubai Duty Free, through our Foundation and through our staff initiatives, as a supporter of the noble and humanitarian goal of delivering rehabilitation assistance to people affected by natural disasters in the Philippines.

 

 

“The beauty of this project has been that the local people get to participate in the rebuilding process which makes it more meaningful to the families who can see that their personal investment of hard work has created their new home. My thanks to our management and staff who have contributed towards the funding process, along with our Foundation.”

 

Present during the handover ceremony and awarding of the units on behalf of DDF was Ms. Olympia Pineda, Manager – Corporate Responsibility, who was joined by two DDF staff who were on vacation and live near the municipality of Alangalang, Teresa Lomotan and Carmelito Soza.

 

Other attendees included Kevin Caballero, Gawad Kalinga Area Coordinator from Eastern Visayas and Romeo Caldosa, Project Director along with local government officials headed by Honourable Marvin Barona, Municipal Councillor and Honorable Narciso Caldosa Jr., Barangay Chairman.

 

As part of the ceremony the beneficiaries’ children performed a small program to the delight of the attending officials and representatives.

 

 

The construction of the ‘Dubai Duty Free GK Village’ started on 30th April 2014, five months after the typhoon and was completed on 30th March this year. The 32 houses are designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes and are built to a high specification to ensure the safety of the families who will live there. The village has utilities, including basic amenities such as streetlights, a community centre and a basketball court.

 

Beneficiaries are obliged to help take care of the village, including the painting of the houses, beautification of the community, planting ornamental gardens in the vicinity, maintaining cleanliness and peace and order.

 

Prior to the housing project, pledges and various relief goods were also donated by Dubai Duty Free staff which was sent to Maharlika Charity Foundation on 20th January 2014. The goods were distributed in the province of Iloilo, Philippines through Global Impact Foundation immediately after it was received on 24th March 2014.

 

The Dubai Duty Free GK Village in Binotong Alangalang Leyte in the Philippines.

 

Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Yolanda, is now in the record books as one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded, devastating portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines, in early-November 2013.

 

[Dubai Duty Free is a major employer of Filipino staff and has been commended by the Government of the Philippines for the way it takes care of its staff while working in Dubai-Ed].