Additional 3 ICEB Machines Procured for Iloilo City; 2 for Digos City

The CLIFF-San Isidro housing project which involves the construction of 172 shell-housing for the affected families of the Iloilo Flood Control Project (IFCP). In this project, HPFPI and PACSII promotes an alternative building technology known as Interlocking Compressed Earth Block (ICEB).

As response to the recurring problem of inadequate supply of Interlocking Compressed Earth blocks (ICEB) blocks in CLIFF-San Isidro massive housing, the Philippine Alliance bought 5 sets of ICEB machines from Thailand. Three sets of these machines arrived in Iloilo City last November 18, 2010 while the other 2 sets will soon be delivered to Digos City as one of the next cities for CLIFF expansion nationwide.  

Newly awarded Category C houses and the ICEB production area.

The procurement of 3 more machines to be used for the massive production of ICEB responds to the greater demand of ICEB for the ongoing construction of CLIFF-supported Community-Managed Resettlement Housing Project in San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City.

Securing sufficient supply of raw materials (lime soil) and procurement of additional block presses were pushed through by the Alliance to ensure continuous supply of blocks for the remaining 129 shell-housing in CLIFF-San Isidro.

At present, only two (of the three old) machines are functional. With these new machines soon to be set up on site, it is anticipated to increase the number of blocks produced by the workers, thus, construction of ICEB houses would be nonstop.

“Mas mayo gid nga madugangan ang machine para madamo man ang ma-produce sang mga workers. Hindi na sila mabudlayan sa pagproduce kung magdululungan na ang construction. Isa pa gid ka bentaha para nga makahatag man obra sa iban nga gusto maka-income kay madugang man sang tinawo para sa pag-obra” suno kay Rosenie Malderama, ICEB In-charge”.

 (“It is better to have additional machines for the production so that workers could as well produce an immense number of blocks especially now that massive construction starts.  Another advantage of this, it provides employment for those who want to have an income considering the fact that it requires more workers to do the production” says Rosenie Malderama, ICEB In-charge”).

Second batch of another 40 housing units for Category B.

Forty-three ICEB houses was already awarded to the first batch of CLIFF housing participants (Category C) and another forty-eight units intended for the second batch of participants (Category B) are still under construction.

When compared to conventional way of housing construction ICEB technology is proven cheaper by 30% of the total housing cost including materials and labour costs.  

Digos City, a member city of the Philippine Alliance, intends to also provide affordable shell-housing units to its member communities, using CLIFF funds.