the xu housing project

8/4/2019 The XU Housing Project

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Case Analysis:The XU Housing Project

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

I. IntroductionII. Overview of the ProjectIII. Problems and resourcesIV. Community Processing and StrategiesV. Insights

a. Related to Community Organizingb. Personal

I. Introduction

Chances are you’ve been there: you go back to a classroom after the teacher

finally realized she had to actually teach because that was she was ought to do but thensomeone took over your chair where in fact five minutes ago, you clearly wrote on thearm-chair, in bold capital letters that “you were there”. And so after being the gentlemanthat you are, you started scanning the perimeter and scouted the next best location tohave that best view of Mrs. Lopez, when someone comes up and says “Oops, my chair.”You moved again. You tried to get hold of the next vacant seat available but, darn, it wasbroken. You ended up sitting on last row – behind that fat dude, beside your annoyingclassmate, near the CR. It just wasn’t your day.

And then it hit you, like some The Gods Must Be Crazy eureka moment, thatwhat if, a genius like you would make some sort of a “chair title” like those they use onlands.

Yes, the gods must be crazy.

That was a simple and modern analogy of the XU Housing Project; Differentparties claiming ownership of the seat that offered the visual vitamins of your aesthetically-pleasing teacher. Who fits who in the role of the protagonist andantagonists is largely debatable. It all depends on how you see it.

II. Overview of the Project

It all started when Xavier University stumbled upon a brilliant idea.

And then that brilliant idea that is a housing project rolled into motion. But of course, just like any other great story written in history, success just doesn’t happenovernight, without any glitches of some kind and of various proportions. A victor must gothrough slumps to fully savor the experience of the sweetness only a hit could give.

XU, which had financial hurdles at the time, found literal gold when it obtainedthe 150-hectare property at Upper Balulang. Being, of course, the Filipino, Catholic,Jesuit Institution that it is, it was a no-brainer that it would try give back to the community



by bringing in an answer to the Kagay-anons need for better housing and livingconditions.

With that, came the surfacing of the people who claim to be owners of the landsand occupants the lands who, in some way or another, became the obstacles for XU tolaunch a socialized housing project. Legal struggles ensue.

III. Problems and Resources

Funds. First and foremost, the university lacked the necessary funds tospearhead the idea.

Then there were the occupants who strongly opposed the project for it wouldmean. In 1988 during the groundbreaking, when then president Fr. Ernesto Javier triedto develop the project through an Italian government, by which the late PresidentCorazon Aquino was invited to inaugurate, she was greeted with barricades instead of excitement.

Ownership of the land was also in dispute when land titles came in sproutingeven dating back to the Spanish Times. Moreover, the pursuit of the Velezes, FilomenoFernandez and Timoteo Quimpo only added complexity to the situation.

IV. Community Processing and Strategies

With the consultation on Fr. Bienvenido Nebres to Mrs. Vicky Garchitorena,Director of the Ayala Foundation, who’s had run-ins and experiences when it came tohousing relocations, birthed what was soon to be named the Community DevelopmentCommittee.

Its main task was mainly social preparation; convincing the residents of Upper Balulang to support the project and prepare them for community integration. They dididentification and profiling of occupants which eventually helped them in developingstrategies and the memoranda of agreement.

Three groups emerged namely the Upper Balulang Urban Poor LandlessAssociation, The Landless Tribal Farmers Development Association and the Delight of Justice which had their own factors for group strengths.

The perceived legitimacy of claims to their documents, the collective supportsystem they got from their respected groups and presence of networks and credibleconnections in the larger community.

Community assemblies were held and important issues were identified so thatnecessary adjustments could be made. CDC had enough flexibility to change strategiesas soon as the situation called for it.

Resettlement packages were developed along with ratification packages. Wheneveryone was in agreement, and then came the MOA signing of the occupants. Specialcases were recognized and necessary adjustments were made from then on, dependingon case-to-case basis.



Part of the projects aim was self-sustenance. Potential leaders were spotted andtrained toward gradual empowerment.

V. Insights

a. Related to Community Organizing

Just like in any ventures a person would like to dive into, the CDC went with thetraditional, just as any smart person would, the ADPIE route and the use of SMARTobjectives.

They went into the project knowing what they had to do and that was to assessthe situation, diagnose the problems, plan what is to be done, implement those saidplans, and evaluate the results. Knowing that any project is never close-ended and coulduse room for necessary improvement and adjustments also helped. And what better wayto utilize that, by arming themselves with smart, measurable, attainable, reliable and

time-bounded objectives.

They came, and they made sure that when they left, people were alreadycapable enough to eventually take over the management of the project.

b. Personal

Honestly, I would like to point out the fact that in any history, the winner of thewar most likely depends on who wrote the book. Had it been written by a third a party,of any person not related to any of the circumstances mentioned above, there wouldhave been a more objective tone in the narrative.

Think of it this way, The Ayala Foundation, no doubt pissed quite a number of dissidents when they made their own housing developments. But on the other hand,they also developed those lands in the purest sense of the word. It all depends onperspective.

Take a look at Upper Balulang and the rest of Pueblo now, it has turned itself intoa thriving community. Has it done good to the community? Yes, it did. But we must alsotake into consideration the people who felt they were robbed and taken advantage of.I’m sure; there are a number of people who feels that way until now.

But then again, you can’t please everyone.

Back on my story, that annoying girl you didn’t want to sit beside probably had acrush on you and was most definitely having the time of her life on the expense of younot having the best view of Mrs. Lopez. Life’s like that. It’s just a matter of seeing things.

Who knows, because of that, that “chair title” plan might just go into motion justbecause you’re sitting next to the most annoying girl on class.

the xu housing project

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