Conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Wednesday said the construction of its P352-million community in Sariaya, Quezon, where it will put up an integrated agro-industrial complex, is nearing completion.
A total of 127 families, who relocated from the town’s risky coastal areas, have already transferred to the company’s 5.4-hectare San Miguel-Christian Gayeta Homes. More families are expected to move to the subdivision in the coming weeks, the company said.
Apart from the 450-unit housing complex, it built the Sariaya Fisherman’s Dock, and the San Miguel Market to provide families with the means to thrive and develop resilience in the face of challenges.
“We are building a community where people will have access to jobs and services and have the opportunity to make a difference. It’s a place that will stand the test of time, one where people of this and the future generation will want to live and work,” company president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.
“This housing community that includes the Fisherman’s Dock and the San Miguel Market is an integral part of our investment in Sariaya, Quezon. With our extensive experience in high-quality housing developments, we have designed a safe space that allows members of the community to sustainably farm and fish, and also provide them additional training so that they help us build our facilities in Sariaya together,” Ang said.
Construction of the 450-unit housing community started in April 2019 and was formally turned over to San Miguel last November 25.
Each housing unit in the community, built under Housing Land Use Regulatory Board standards, has a lot area of 54 square meters that can fit a bedroom, toilet and bathroom, kitchen, dining area and loft capability.
The community has an overhead water tank with a 136,000-liter capacity, a dedicated sewage treatment plant made of natural reed beds, a multi-purpose hall, park, daycare center, livelihood center, e-library, and a clubhouse consisting of covered basketball court, multipurpose hall, and playground garden.
“These houses were tested during the last two typhoons and withstood the strong winds and heavy rains. During the height of these typhoons, many families whose houses were destroyed by the typhoons even requested to transfer immediately so they can finally reside in a community that is safe, secure, and where they are being attended to with the company’s trademark malasakit,” he said.
Currently under construction in front of the housing community is the San Miguel Market, where fishermen can sell their fresh catch and other residents, particularly those who graduated from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) livelihood and training courses, can offer services and products.
Ang said the establishment of the San Miguel Market will complement the Sariaya Fishermen’s Dock which SMC inaugurated recently with the help of the local government of Sariaya and the Diocese of Lucena.
The multi-purpose Fishermen’s dock, sitting on a 3.5-hectare property, aims to increase the resilience of fishing communities as it can secure more than 100 boats, particularly during typhoon season, as its Sariaya Fisherman’s Hall, can serve as a rest area and storage for 70 boat engines and other fishing implements.
Recently, an initial batch of 50 trainees from San Miguel-Christian Gayeta Homes completed their skills training in organic, urban farming, edible landscaping and fish and meat processing under TESDA, the company said.