November 1998
MABUHAY!
I was working for La Luna Enterprises, when my wife Leila, who is also working with me as a marketing officer, received a phone call from an American (sorry I lost his business card and I already forgot his name) working for
Habitat for Humanity. He sends to me through fax machine the detailed description of what they need- a
design and build construction of a community center building at Maragondon, Cavite. He told me I have 1 (one) week to submit our technical and cost proposal at the Ramon Magsaysay building on Roxas Blvd. A week later, I went to their office to submit our proposal. I met this white American guy, around 40 years old, very nice and accommodating, and requested me to explained our bid. He told me to give him another week to decide and prepare the purchase order.
While waiting for his response, on November 17, 1998, my wife and I purchased our very first cell phone. It was Nokia 909, I think it is made from Finland. I remember that time when my cell phone rings if I am in public transportation like bus or jeepney, they usually turn-off their radio or slow down a bit as a courtesy to the phone user.
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| NOKIA 909 Model |
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| The original certificate of the cell phone |
Last week of November, Habitat for Humanity called us again and told us that they will award the project to us. After preparing the necessary paper works and securing the down payment, I organize a crew of workers- welders, carpenters and laborers that will compose the project team. By the way, our design was a steel structure. In the first week of December 1998, I and my crew headed off to Maragondon, Cavite to mobilize. We were greeted by the American project manager, the barangay official, and some local workers. We set up some tents to serve as our sleeping quarters.
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My wife visited me in my tent.
This housing project is for Jimmy Carter Work Project 1999 which targets more than 200 Filipino families as a beneficiary in that locality. The job site was near the foot of the mountain of Maragondon where our hero, Andres Bonifacio, was supposedly tried and executed for rebellion by soldiers of then-President Emilio Aguinaldo. It was also a pasture land for cows due to its lush grassland.
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The first night in my tent was a little bit cold with some raindrops keeping the grass wet. I was about to sleep when I heard some sort of commotion outside. I took a peek to check what was the moving sound. I saw a silhouette of moving objects but it was too dark for me to identify them. I thought they were cows from the nearby pasture. Then suddenly as the silhouette gets very near my tent, the figure resembles a man holding a rifle. He introduced himself to me and told me not to be afraid. He said he and his companions were soldiers from a nearby camp doing their routine night surveillance at that place. Oh what a great relief, I thought to myself.
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| The hanging bridge connecting the town proper to our job site |
CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Nature Tripping at Bataan National Park
In the morning, I and my crew walked around 2 kilometers from the job site trekking a narrow dusty road to Maragondon Market to purchase our one (1) week's supply of food and some materials. I remember walking on a hanging bridge from barangay Pinagsanhan crossing the Maragondon River towards Maragondon Market.
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| Maragondon public market |
We bought 2 big sizes of tulingan fish, a relative of tuna, and just roast them on an open fire. It was our lunch.
Our
construction went full blast, completing the building in February 1999. During our construction, most of the time, we were visited by local and foreign volunteers from Habitat for Humanity who are helping the community build the housing projects.
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| Welders fabricating the steel trusses |
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| The carpenter is setting up the batter boards for the concreting of the pedestal |
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| Our simple break time snack |
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| All aboard! Going home to Manila to spend our weekends |
In March 1999, former President Jimmy Carter of the United States of America (USA) and his wife visited the Maragondon Housing project. Recently, I checked the Google Maps and this place now is called Isaiah Ville.
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The project site shows the completed community center building on the center
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