Another Low-Cost Building Technology for the Poor Explored

In the aim to provide decent and affordable housing for the poor, Homeless People’s Federation Philippines Inc. (HPFPI) and the Philippine Action for Community-led Shelter Initiatives Inc. (PACSII) together with the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc. (TAMPEI) are continuously looking for and applying alternative building technologies like the Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB) to various CLIFF housing project initiatives of the federation nationwide. 

Last February 8, 2011 (Tuesday), community leaders and technical assistants of the Federation from NCR, Iloilo and Cebu had a site visit in First Home Subdivision in Navais, Mandurriao, Iloilo City to explore and learn from another low-cost building technology. The activity was facilitated by Engr. Joseph Asturias of Salvacion Infrastructure and Development Corporation (SIDC) with office-based in Negros Occidental in collaboration with Jockin Arputham, President of Slum Dwellers International (SDI), together with an Indian community engineer. 

This alternative building material is called Plaswall,  was introduced as one of the recent building technologies developed by Sterling Construction and Development Corporation (SCDC). Plaswall is made of two cement board and spacers (a hollow permanent concrete formwork) which should be filled with concrete (mixture of sand, water and cement). It is completely a load bearing wall with complete rendered finish which can be modified according to the shape of your choice or depending on your structural design.  It is designed to carry loads such as beams and slabs and can also be a substitute for columns. It has faster speed of installation and requires significantly lower skilled labor to build high quality concrete homes and buildings at a shorter construction period. 

During a short discussion about the building technology, some local architects working with the Federation found the material quiet expensive for low-cost housing in Philippine context. They reasoned out that the most expensive part of housing construction using plaswall is the filling-in of concrete mixture on its hollow part.

On the contrary, Jockin Arputham, SDI president showed great interest to adopt this kind of technology in Kenya where CLIFF housing is present and quiet expensive. He encouraged HPFPI-PACSII and TAMPEI to study the building technology and find means on how to make useful for the poor. 

­­­­­­­­­­­“Don’t look at the monetary value of the building technology but focus on how to make the material more affordable for the poor”, Arputham stressed out.

TAMPEI Gains New Partnership and Commitments from PIA-Iloilo

Arch. Militante of PIA Iloilo (left) speaks with Arch. Libutaque, 
TAMPEI'sPresident (right) about his recommedations on
 construction management.(Architecture students from the
University of San Agustin at the back)

Iloilo City - February 19, 2011 (Saturday), a meeting between the Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment Inc. (TAMPEI) of Homeless People’s Federation Inc. (HPFPI) and the Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA)-Iloilo Chapter was held in CLIFF Project Site in San Isidro, Jaro, Iloilo City. PIA-Iloilo is a recognized institution of architects in Iloilo City, headed by their president Arch. Alex Bacallan. The primary agenda of the meeting was to introduce the Federation, the institution (TAMPEI) and initiate a partnership with a group of technical professional to address the pressing need to mentoring and in preparations for upscaling of community-driven slum upgrading and housing initiatives nationwide. 

Twelve members of PIA including the senior and the junior licensed architects together with the junior associates (architecture students) from the University of San Agustin (USA) had an ocular visit within CLIFF Project Site. Specifically, they visited the production area of the Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB) as well as the housing units of the various batches of housing participants.


Cadornigara, HPFPI Regional Coordinator for Western Visayas (left)  
chats withArch. Bacallan, PIA-Iloilo's President (in green shirt, center)



Mac Leo John Capre, Architect intern from USA, also a TAMPEI
 member (standing) shares his learning during Bamboo 
Workshop inDavao

“We organized a site visit for the Architects and showed them the product of the community-managed construction. They were impressed with the material that we are using. Actually, Arch. Bacallan himself was fascinated by how community’s participation was integrated in the process of building their homes”, Arch. Villa Mae Libutaque, TAMPEI President said.                         

An overview of HPFPI initiatives including existing and upcoming projects, particularly the CLIFF expansion nationwide vis-a-vis the need for technical support, was presented by Sonia Cadornigara, Regional Coordinator for HPFPI Visayas.

Arch. Villa Mae Libutaque and Arch. Christopher Ebreo introduced TAMPEI’s objectives and laid down the possible venues for PIA’s intervention and probable roles in CLIFF project implementation.  The federation’s need for senior technical consultant was also stressed during the presentation.

As an affirmative response to TAMPEI and the HPFPI’s concern, PIA-Iloilo assured the following support:

• Provision of two volunteer architects who will serve as senior consultants in terms of the technical aspect of the project preparation and implementation.
• Help establish contacts with direct suppliers of construction materials and negotiate discounts which could help lower down construction cost

• Help establish nationwide links, particularly in cities where PIA is rooted and recognized. As an initial step they invited TAMPEI to be one of the presenters in PIA’s National Convention in Manila, which is considerably the best venue to introduce TAMPEI with a larger audience of technical professionals as well as an opportunity to solicit their support.

• Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between TAMPEI, HPFPI-PACSII and PIA-Iloilo scheduled on the first week of March 2011.  

Engr. Camarista, CLIFF Project Site Engr,
 discussed the existing site development projects

TAMPEI is looking forward for a successful partnership with PIA and hoping that this will be the start of a good partnership with professional institutions or organizations as well.

CLIFF: The Philippine Experience