Handyman, NGO partner for sustainable homes

We feel the effects of climate change more, naturally we’re susceptible to storms, (add to that) climate change, everything is heightened so we have to be sustainable in the way that we build.

From left Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. president and CEO Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Habitat Philippines resource development and communications director Jamie Santos-Sugay, Handyman general manager Stanley Co, Herco Trading, Inc. president and CEO Wilfred Co, and vice president and COO Wayne Coherco.

Robinson’s Retail Holdings Inc. subsidiary Handyman is partnering with non-government organization Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP) to build houses from sustainable sources in line with the latter’s bid of building 10,000 houses in the next five years.

Under the partnership, retail hardware giant Handyman, through Greenfield hand tools distributor Herco Trading Inc., donates the same quantity of items with every purchase of the brand’s item, available in all of Handyman’s 169 local branches.

Handyman has so far sold more than 6,000 items worth between P300 to over P1,000 apiece, or equivalent to a donation of about P6 million, through the campaign, which has been running since 16 September to 16 October.

According to HFHP resource development and communications director Jamie Santos Sugay, the items donated will be distributed to its Habitat communities, where there are ongoing construction for disaster-resilient homes made out of sustainable materials such as bamboo.

“We also have to look at the long term. The Philippines contribute 0.5 percent in terms of carbon emissions worldwide, that’s nothing to 27 percent of the United States or bigger countries but we are the top ten countries most susceptible to climate change,” she said at the sidelines of the signing for the partnership in Ortigas on Tuesday, 2 October.

“We feel the effects of climate change more, naturally we’re susceptible to storms, (add to that) climate change, everything is heightened so we have to be sustainable in the way that we build,” she added.

Sugay said that construction for a duplex made of bamboo costs about P480,000. HFHP has development communities in Cebu, Davao and cities in Luzon. The organization is aiming to put up 10,000 houses through its Legacy of Hope program.

Meanwhile, Handyman general manager Stanley Co said the stakeholders are discussing the project’s extension for another run.

“It’s within our expectations, and we’re in a way assuming it (campaign) will pick up in the next two weeks,” he said.