Project Title & Location
Ephpheta Housing Project
Bagong Nayon Phase III-A
Antipolo, Rizal

Client
Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind
Barangka, Marikina City

Project Completion
1989

Associated Firms
G.V. Manahan, Architect-Town Planner
Design Management and Development Corp.

Services Provided
- Site Development Planning
- Architectural and Engineering Design Services

Bagong Nayon in Antipolo is a massive housing project began in the mid-1970s. It began as the COGEO project of the GSIS that eventually the National Housing Authority continued. In its third phase, 100 lots in five areas of the Bagong Nayon Phase III-A were allocated to the Ephpheta Foundation for the Blind for its beneficiaries. These lots have dwelling units that are to be sold to families whose heads are blind. Some members of the family who are able bodied shall be trained for livelihood activities in the area. Livelihood opportunities range from house building to dance music, growing of cut flowers and vegetables, not the least, soap making.

Four water service stations are strategically disposed in the zone. A large open area is located central to row house area. Lot sizes are standard 4m x 15m. It is large enough to allow the family to have a vegetable, herbal or flower garden. Dwelling unit sizes are 4m x 6m or 24 sqm. It has a two-leaf awning window at the rear. These can be propped up to shade the rear yard and become a shaded patio. The toilet is so located up front so that it becomes more accessible to the handicapped.

Walls are of fire-resistant concrete hollow blocks, metal roofs are of corrugated long span and rafters of light gauge galvanized steel. Painting and the introduction of more durable materials are to be made in an incremental basis. The greening of the area is undertaken on a voluntary community level basis.