My first blog entry here was last year when Typhoon Haiyan was the headline for the news all around the Philippines. My entry contains information about the water system that could be done to help the victims of the typhoon get cheap and clean water in the most convenient way they can. Now for this second blog entry, I would like to raise another kind of help from our fellow citizens for the victims. Last February 17, 2014, I was able to watch a news on TV Patrol (ABS-CBN) regarding the butterfly house built by Vonz Santos. Mr. Santos, a Filipino-American CEO, was moved by the present condition of the victims of the typhoon that he decided to make the butterfly house together with his Butterfly Team and partnered with designer Budji Layug and architect Royal Pineda of BUDJI+ROYAL (BusinessMirror, February 2014). Ciara Zembrano, one of the reporters of ABS-CBN, said in her news that the victims of the typhoon were already having a difficult time with their living condition. They were having a hard time living in tents in the Tent City. She also mentioned that there is not enough tents and houses for them. And this was the reason that Mr. Santos decided to make a butterfly house.

“It is called a butterfly house because it opens like a butterfly.” said Mr. Santos. Butterfly house is a foldable house that comes in three arrangements: 11.5-square-meter (sq m) single unit, 15-sq-m single unit, with bathroom, and 26-sq-m full unit, with bathroom—all ranging from P50,000 to P70,000.  Also included in her news were the steps to fold and unfold the house, demonstrated by Mr. Santos himself. She mentioned that since the house only come in a specific layout and that it is foldable, many houses can be shipped at once to the places where the victims are located. Since the price of the said house ranges from Php50,000 to Php70,000, the reporter mentioned that people can donate online through this website: www.socialproject.ph.

Figure 1. Rogelio 'Vonz' Santos Jr. and the butterfly house.

Source: http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php/en/news/top-news/27726-butterfly-house-for-yolanda-victims

Since the news about the typhoon Haiyan came into place, I have always asked my father what would happen to the lives of these people, especially with regards to their assets such as their houses. I felt sad that all their possessions were devastated by just a typhoon. The fruits of all their hard work from the previous years were already broken or even gone. If I was in their place, I thought, I could not afford to think of plans to start my life again. If I was in their place, I thought, I would never find hope again. But, I guess, people like Mr. Santos could give encouragements for these people. People like him who eagerly think of ways to help them could open rooms for starting over again. Starting your life again from such a disaster is not an easy task. In fact, it requires a lot of one’s time, work, and positive spirit. That’s why they need help – different and all sorts of help. Whether it may be financial, emotional, and physical help, these people need help. I was also able to watch another local news wherein Mr. Vonz Santos was encouraging people to donate money for the construction of houses. He emphasized that he does not require payment for his invention. Instead, what he just wished to happen is for a lot of people to donate money for their housing system to work and help the victims.

As a student, I may not have enough money to pay for a house for them but I think through advertising such news (just like this blog entry), I can be of help. And I hope we could all help too.