Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Philippines

The Mt. Pinatubo eruption of 1991 left Benjamin and Norma Austria with their ten children, homeless. They were given temporary housing at Clark Airbase Command (CABCOM) with nearly thirty-five thousand families affected by the explosion occurred. Because of contaminated water, Benjamin Aurora and four of their children became ill. Because of poverty, Norma Austria was forced to sell her house to finance medication for her husband and children. Unfortunately, they began to die one-by-one.

After that event, they moved back home with four of her children and five grandchildren at the Madapdap Resettlement Area in Mabalacat, Pampanga. Norma Austria sweeps the roads in her street daily from 2:00 am to 4:00 pm on only a six thousand pesos per month salary. She is also a member of an organization that cares and provides protection to the young homeless. She helps bring the children with disabilities in hospitals and provides scholarship grants to eligible children in their community
Builders: JAO Builders

Villa Aure's youngest daughter Joy is deaf-mute and has autism. For 24 years, Villa and her family has focused on taking care of Joy and in making her live a comfortable life. Having a special child wasn't easy for Villa, she decided to resign as a teacher in High School in 1995 and became a full time mom and teacher to Joy. At the same time, she helped out her friends, neighbors, and community by teaching special children at their home for free. The whole family devoted their time in teaching and serving the children. Along with them are two volunteer teachers who get a minimal compensation every month.
Design Team: Paolo, Divine, Joby, Tristan, Marilen

The Rivera family live in a respectable subdivision in Bulacan, however, the Rivera’s dilapidated home was considered the worst in the area. Poverty never stopped Rogelio from dreaming big. He was a scholar at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela and graduated in 2011 with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Class. Despite his meager earnings as a teacher, Rogelio worked hard to fulfill his family’s dream of owning a good home.
Design Team: Paolo, Tessa, Joby, Tristan, Marilen

Marites "Rina" Cardines was the first documented case of a Philippine domestic helper who was HIV positive. In 1997 in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Rina was infected by her boss, a father and was used as sex slave. With the help of the wife of the boss, she managed to escape. She planned to work abroad to support her son, two-year-old Shamein, but it never happened when she realized she was HIV positive.

Rina began helping in the PAFPI (The Positive Action Foundation Philippines, Inc.), an organization that helps PLWHA (People Living with HIV / AIDS). She was given lodging, Anti Retro Viral drugs, peer health education and work trainings and met her future-husband, Gabby, a fellow Cebuano and PLWHA.

The care of Rina's Gabby has resulted in their love affair. Soon the two were married and wished to start a new life in their province of Cebu. Gabby accepted Shamein (now 14, as of 2012) as his own son, and later, they bore another son, Chrishane who was born HIV negative.
Design Team: Paolo, Tessa, Divine, Joby, Tristan

In 2009, a week after her birthday, Carmita Zulueta-Beleno, 35 years old, discovered that she had Stage 2 breast cancer. She did not lose hope, however, as it was not the first time her family faced cancer. Her mother had breast cancer 20 years ago and managed to survive.

In September 28, 2009, Typhoon Ketsana attacked their residence in Marikina. During this time, Carmita had just begun radiation therapy. Her husband now works as an accountant to support the family. Their child now fears rain.

In 2011, typhoon Sendong flooded and ravaged Cagayan de Oro and the Labial Family's house got affected. Instead of getting a makeover of their house located in a high flood-risk barangay, the family was given a brand new house and lot at a subdivision in the uptown portion of the city.
Builders: Camella Homes

Jomel Lapides lives with his younger sisters Cherrie and Cheryll, her mother, Milagros and her father, Julie in the town of Rodriguez, Rizal. Her father works as a tailor to support the family. After being an "Iskolar ng Bayan" (Scholar of the Town) he graduated, cum laude, in Nursing at the University of the Philippines. He also became Top 1 of the 2011 Nursing Board Exam of 78,135 Nursing graduates at the highest mark of 88.40 percent.

When he gets his license, he wishes to work at the Philippine General Hospital.
Designer: Arch. Justin Joseph R. Espejo

Benjamin came from a poor family in Tondo. He graduated as a medical school scholar and achieved 7th place in the Medical Board Exam to become a full doctor and a teacher in college of medicine. Soon he married Rodora and had a daughter, Beatriz.

In 1998, while Benjamin was withdrawing money at an ATM, he was shot in the neck that caused Spinal cord Injury C4. He stayed at the hospital for almost five years and is now a quadriplegic, having his entire body paralyzed from the neck down. He soon moved to Valenzuela and is now a wheelchair user.

He helped build Haven Independent Life Center, a non-government organization where he served as Secretary General. The purpose of Life Haven Independent Center is to care for people with disabilities, provide opportunities and fight for their rights. Some of their assistance provided peer counseling, peer visit, personal assistance service, right-based advocacy, assistive devices, information and referrals.

Kankanaey and Kalanguya are among 28 families who lost their home during the '60 for the construction of the Ambuklao and Binga Dams in Benguet. Most of them are living in dangerous areas, if not next to the creek, their homes are on land that easily crumble result of soil erosion.

Gawad Kalinga will help the 28 family of Baranggay Macabenga. In addition to the construction of new and safe houses, Gawad Kalinga began a program of the following: child and youth development, community building, environment, food sufficiency, health, infrastructure and a social center for Innovation.

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