Tzu Chi Philippines has broken ground on its first permanent housing project, the Tzu Chi Palo Great Love Village, in Palo, Leyte. The village will be built on 14,428 square-meter lands. It will include 60 units of 40-50 square-meter houses, four livelihood training centers, a multipurpose hall, a daycare center, a mushroom farm, and a central kitchen and bakery.

The project is part of Tzu Chi’s efforts to uplift the lives of the villagers in Leyte following the devastation of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. Since then, Tzu Chi has provided disaster relief, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts in the province, including the construction of temporary housing and the rebuilding of the Sto. Niño Church in Tacloban.

Jose Mari Aldeza, a typhoon survivor given temporary housing in the Tzu Chi Great Love Village, has been involved in community affairs for the past nine years, helping build the village and assisting the elderly. He expressed his gratitude for Tzu Chi’s permanent housing project, saying it would ensure his children would have their own homes after he’s gone.

Tzu Chi Philippines CEO Henry Yuñez said the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The Tzu Chi Palo Great Love Village is a testament to the organization’s commitment to creating a sustainable and inclusive community and its tireless efforts to bring hope and kindness to those in need.