Habitat for Humanity, in partnership with Hilti Foundation, and through public, private, and people partnerships, aims to provide quality, disaster-resilient houses and bring to scale the use of Cement Bamboo Frame (CBF) technology to help address the housing gap in Negros Occidental.   Dubbed as the Negros Occidental Impact 2025 (NOI25), the project is one of the flagship programs of Habitat for Humanity Philippines (HFHP). The project is envisioned as a catalytic program that will provide 10,000 housing units and build sustainable communities using the CBF technology and in the process: 1) Unlock government and private sector resources to help address the growing and complex housing problem; 2) Promote affordable, appropriate, disaster-resilient, and eco-friendly construction in the housing value chain; 3) Demonstrate innovative solutions to address poverty housing; 4) Promote appropriate quality renewable building materials and construction process; 5) Support LGU’s resettlement programs and shelter plans to be effective and sustainable; 6) Facilitate inter-governmental coordination to fast-track housing project approvals.
 
To facilitate LGU participation and forge partnerships for NOI25, HFHP is facilitating a 2.5-day virtual orientation-workshop from April 13 to 15, 2021, to present the project and review the local shelter planning (LSP). The LSP is a document prepared by the LGUs to assess the housing situation in their locality and present strategies for addressing it. To date, only 9 out of 32 LGUs in Negros Occidental have an approved LSP, according to the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) data. The event aims to provide support to the LGUs in the preparation of LSPs and explore opportunities for housing partnerships. 
 
This orientation-workshop is designed for the key LGU officers in Negros Occidental instrumental in creating LSPs, including but not limited to the Planning Development Officers, Social Workers, Engineers, Disaster Risk Managers, Assessors, and the Council for Housing.  Representatives from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) and other key shelter agencies will serve as resource speakers.   
 
OBJECTIVES: At the end of the 2.5-day orientation-workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Review the process of local shelter planning and enhance their knowledge and skills in preparing a comprehensive LSP.
2. Share experiences, challenges, and lessons learned in preparing the LSP.
3. Know the possible funding opportunities available for housing projects.
4. Learn about the Negros Occidental Impact Project 2025.
5. Participate in the NOI25 Call for Proposals and forge a housing partnership with Habitat Philippines