Leading building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. has successfully completed a project to help families in Central Luzon (CL) make their homes more disaster resilient.
The project, done in collaboration with non-profit social innovator Build Change, and Alalay sa Kaunlaran Microfinance Social Development, Inc. (ASKI), helped 37 families in Aurora and Baler strengthen their houses against extreme weather.
Launched in September 2023, the project dubbed “Matibay na Bahay para sa mas Ligtas na Buhay,” provided access to housing loans to low-income families while raising awareness on the importance of climate-resilience building to more than 3,000 people, and employing 120 local masons.
Aurora was identified in a 2023 report as among the provinces vulnerable to climate change. Build Change developed a special training module on strengthening houses using Holcim’s low-carbon cement products. ASKI, meanwhile, extended home strengthening microloans to clients.
The house improvements were done with general-purpose cement Excel ECOPlanet, masonry cement Wallright Prime, and Superfine Skimcoat demonstrating that using the right product for the right application leads to more efficient material consumption and lower total construction cost compared with conventional methods.
Holcim Philippines is committed to helping families and community masons access to additional knowledge on construction materials and practices to build decent, resilient yet affordable homes improving the overall well being of low-income communities.
Holcim continues to expand its collaboration with key partners and introduce more innovative building products and solutions in support of the growth and development of the country, according to Holcim Philippines Chief Sustainability Officer Zoe Sibala.