Davao-based banana workers to get bamboo homes

BASE BAHAY Foundation (Base) recently teamed up with the Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. Foundation, Inc. (AOFF), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Anflo Group of Companies, to provide disaster-resilient homes for banana workers and their families in Davao.

In a statement, Base said it is building two-storey duplex houses that are made of high-quality bamboo.

Each house will have one bedroom, a restroom, and a shower on the ground floor, and two rooms on the second floor. The total floor area of each housing unit is 41.7 square meters (sq.m.) and 83.4 sq.m. for the whole duplex housing.

Base will use its Cement Bamboo Frame Technology (CBFT) for the housing units. Certified by the Accreditation of Innovative Technologies for Housing, CBFT can withstand typhoons with wind speeds of up to 250 kph, as well as earthquakes. The bamboo is also treated for termites.

“This project started with a vision — a vision to build sustainable houses for our employees and their families. One of the most unique features of this house is the use of bamboo in the construction of the houses making it environment-friendly,” Maria Cristina Brias, AOFF president, said in a statement.

AOFF’s affiliate company, Tadeco, has a huge bamboo production that is being utilized for a banana plantation and for housing development purposes.

“Our work with AOFF, providing durable and permanent housing, is just the first step toward realizing the community’s goals of providing for education, healthcare, economic upliftment, and preservation of culture. We’re proud to be helping make a significant impact in the lives of banana workers and their families through the AOFF and Tadeco,” Pablo Jorillo, Base Bahay Foundation general manager, said.

Base is a non-profit organization that provides alternative building technologies and the pioneer in bamboo construction in the Philippines.