Vice President Jejomar C. Binay said selected beneficiaries will render voluntary work hours during the construction of Kapuso housing projects in Palo and Tacloban, Leyte for Yolanda victims.

            The said housing projects for some 600 beneficiaries is a project of the National Housing Authority (NHA), GMA Kapuso Foundation and the local governments of Palo and Tacloban.

            Binay said the volunteers will need to log a minimum of 500 working hours  in order to “uphold the spirit of bayanihan."

            "The volunteers will be working on their own houses so the volunteer program is an incentive to those who want to have their houses finished ahead of time," he said.

            Once finished, 400 families in New Kawayan, Tacloban City and 200 families in Palo, Leyte will have permanent and safe homes.

            “The most affected families from these two municipalities will be prioritized,” Binay said.

            The Kapuso Village Tacloban Housing Project in Brgy. New Kawayan, Tacloban City will cover 400 housing units with floor area of 42 square meters and lot area of 50 square meters. Aside from the individual houses. 20 classrooms will also be constructed in the 3.5-hectare permanent resettlement site.

            Meanwhile, the Kapuso Village Palo will cover 200 units which will be constructed in the 2.05-hectare, LGU-owned land that will be named Barangay San Jose, Palo, Leyte.

            “I would like to convey my sincerest gratitude to the Local Government of Palo and Tacloban  as well as the GMA Kapuso Foundation for their endless support to our rehabilitation efforts,” Binay said.

            “The NHA will continuously work hand-in-hand with other non-government organizations and government agencies in the years to come to ensure that the survivors of ‘Yolanda’ and other calamities will be able to start better lives,” he added.

            Groundbreaking ceremonies for both housing projects were held last 21 January 2014.