Real estate company lends hand in ‘Yolanda’ areas

BINGAWAN, Iloilo – A real estate company has rallied their employees to help in the rehabilitation of typhoon-devastated areas by doing what they do best – building homes.

Volunteers from Property Company of Friends, Inc. (PRO-FRIENDS), the developers of Lancaster New City in Cavite, went to Bingawan in Iloilo over the weekend to plan and start the rebuilding of houses destroyed by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” last November 8.

What is now considered the strongest storm of 2013 left at least 6,000 people dead and damaged more than a million houses in Eastern Visayas and nearby provinces, including Iloilo.

The PRO-FRIENDS management in Iloilo and its employees carefully planned the rebuilding of the houses in the province, in a bid to give residents much-needed help.

Among the beneficiaries was Rogelio Premalion, whose 7-year old wooden house was destroyed when a coconut tree fell on it at the height of the strong winds.

Premalion and his family were able to take cover in their house’s basement for three hours as the typhoon pummelled Visayas, killing thousands and washing out coastal communities.

After almost three hours of taking refuge and waiting for the wind and rain to weaken, Rogelio was able to carry his wife and son to safer ground. However, not much was left of his house. Gathering construction materials such as wood and plastic from the typhoon debris, he was able to build a makeshift house that served as their temporary shelter.

But Premalion, like many “Yolanda” victims, knew that his house will not be able to survive the next storm.

It was with open arms that residents welcomed PRO-FRIENDS after learning of their house rehabilitation project.

“Being a property developer, PRO-FRIENDS extended its help selflessly to the typhoon victims.  The volunteers cheerfully joined hands in rebuilding the devastated house of the Premalions.  Rogelio was too delighted to help with the volunteers and even provided snacks for them,” the company said in a statement.

The real estate company said the “Bayanihan” spirit showed the people of Bingawan that there was hope even after a big calamity.

It is their hope that the people of Bingawan and other typhoon-hit areas find inspiration in their fellow Filipinos to continue and move on with their lives.

Bingawan is one of the communities that PRO-FRIENDS have helped over the years.  The property development company established a cooperative in the municipality to help people augment their income.

“Through this cooperative, many farmers were able to capitalize on their new-found livelihood and were able to sustain their everyday living.  Many of these farmers’ children were able to finish school through the help of the established cooperative,” the group said.

“Over the years, PRO-FRIENDS remains steadfast in its commitment of creating communities and transforming lives,” it added.

PRO-FRIENDS is one of the country’s fastest growing real estate developers, known for the Lancaster New City and Bellefort Estates in Cavite and Parc Regency Residences in Iloilo. (advt)