Penn-Wharton Club Of The Philippines supports Habitat for Humanity's Yolanda Rehabilitation Efforts

Shown in the MOA signing above are (from L-R) Habitat for Humanity Philippines Program Development Manager Rosauro Luntayao, Habitat for Humanity Philippines Managing Director & CEO Charlito Ayco, Penn-Wharton Club Of The Philippines President Jimmy Ysmael, WPAA Treasurer Paolo Borromeo, and WPAA committee member Patricia Feria. 

The Penn-Wharton Club Of The Philippines has partnered with Habitat for Humanity Philippines for the rehabilitation of an elementary school in Medellin, Northern Cebu, one of the areas hit hardest by Typhoon Yolanda.

Representatives from both organizations signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last July 23, 2014 for an initial donation of P1.132M to fund the construction of a “Noah's Ark” structure for Maharuhay Elementary School. Habitat for Humanity's Noah's Ark shelters are resilient schoolhouses/classrooms that double as evacuation centers, with appropriate facilities to host affected families (including latrines, baths, and a communal kitchen) during a disaster. Construction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The beneficiary of the donation, Maharuhay Elementary School, serves a population of 304 pupils and 9 teachers in the community of Barangay Maharuhay in Medellin. There are an estimated 300 families in the community of Barangay Maharuhay, with 90% of the village population living at or below the poverty level. The barangay's elementary school building, built in 1996, is noted to have a weak foundation, with five of its seven classrooms being severely devastated by Yolanda.

The Penn-Wharton Club Of The Philippines gratefully acknowledges the support of both private individuals and organizations in the Philippines and abroad who sponsored the cause, including: Air 21, Ayala Corporation, Ayala Land, BDO, Canon, Cebu Pacific, Century City Development Corporation, Century Pacific Food, Inc., Chevrolet, Chinese International School Manila, Convergence Realty & Development Corporation, Delta Airlines, Eric Gotuaco, First Life, George Yang, Greenfield Development Corporation, Haas School of Business, HSBC, Laguna Water Corporation, Lapanday Properties, MSERV, Oak Drive, Pag-asa Steel Works, Inc., Radius Telecoms, Richwell Trading Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, Seda Hotels, SGV & Co, Shell, SkyCable Corporation, Unilab Foundation, Inc., Volkswagen, Volvo / Autozentrum Alabang, Vista Land, Zone V Camera Club, and an anonymous donor.

These funds were raised by Wharton-Penn alumni for the club's annual joint golf tournament held last March 14, 2014 at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club. The event was organized in conjunction with the Harvard Club of the Philippines, the Northwestern Kellogg Alumni Club of the Philippines, and the Stanford Club of the Philippines.

Habitat for Humanity Philippines is a non-profit organization that brings together partners who share the same vision of transforming lives through building responsible and sustainable communities. Established in 1988, Habitat for Humanity Philippines is a country affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International based in Georgia, USA.  For more information, please visit http://www.habitat.org.ph/.

The Penn-Wharton Club Of The Philippines is an association of Philippine-based alumni of the University of Pennsylvania's various schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences,  the Annenberg School of Communication, Education, Engineering, Dental Medicine, Design, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Social Policy and Practice, Veterinary Medicine, and The Wharton School, the world's first collegiate school of business. For more information, please visit  http://www.facebook.com/whartonpennclubphilippines.