getting muddy

Here's a heartening initiative from a private individual -- an attempt to help address the problem of lack of school buildings and classrooms in poorer areas of the country. I hope some of those in the know about construction, carpentry, engineering, education and related fields can post comments regarding the project.

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Illac Diaz has gone ‘mud’

First posted 08:35pm (Mla time) Aug 13, 2005
By Linda Bolido
Inquirer News Service

Editor's Note: Published on page C1 of the August 14, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

YOUNG entrepreneur Illac Diaz is making what is old new again as a solution to the housing and classroom shortages in the country.

After building a model house made of “mud” in Escalante, Negros Occidental, named Rio Dome in honor of his late aunt, Rio Diaz Cojuangco, Diaz is now harnessing a Middle Eastern building technology in trying to close the gap between the student population and classrooms.

Diaz is executive director of My Shelter Foundation, which believes in “uncommon solutions for common problems.” Updating an old adage a bit, Diaz goes beyond simply teaching people how to fish, in a manner of speaking. After all, with resources getting depleted at alarming rates, the “how” will not take them very far if there is no fish to catch. So Diaz is not just giving them skills but also showing them “where to fish.”

He points out that the old Filipino construction technology using wood and stones is no longer suitable and practical. The severe problem of deforestation has drastically reduced the availability of lumber and other forest products used in construction.

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