A House Raising Philippine Style

IDEA’s deaf families have been waiting a long time to finally see this day arrive.  The first four houses are finally being erected on the IDEA purchased one half acre property on the out-skits of Tagbilaran City on the island of Bohol.  The government red tape has been deep.  These micro homes are just starter units for IDEA Philippines deaf and hearing employees, both singles and couples.  The surrounding neighborhood was astounded by the fact that the walls of the homes were put up in one day.  IDEA has arranged that through the PAGIBIG government housing loan program the staff will be able to purchase this little house and 55 square meters of property for $35 per month over 15 years.  Most of the staff are spending more than this now to rent a rooms in pretty sketchy boarding houses.  It is hoped that all the homes in this project, dubbed “Cohen Village I”, will be completed within this year.

It was such a great honor to have Bill Griffin from Billings, Montana come over to Bohol to work with our mostly deaf men construction team.  Bill is a professional builder back in Montana and specifically came to teach the guys about the safe handling of pneumatic nail guns and some short cuts in speed building of these micro homes.  Bill is also one of Dennis Drake’s old buddies from his home town so the two of them got to have some “hang out time”.  Thank you Bill for giving so freely of your time and talents and for making the financial sacrifice of coming over to give IDEA a hand.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ma5akYK51U