Philippine Consul General Ezzedin Tago said he was pleased to have witnessed the year-end and Christmas celebration of Kapit-bahayan Cooperative right in the organisation’s housing compound in Auburn, NSW last Sunday afternoon 24 November 2019.
He said
the video shown about Kapit-bahayan c-operative should be spread to greater number of audience so that more people will know the unique advocacy of housing co-operative movement in Sydney particularly the experience of members of the co-operative.
ConGen Tago who arrived in Sydney just recently in August this year said Sydney has an active Philippine community and he has practically spent all his weekends fulfilling invitations to attend functions of many community organisations.
ConGen Tago was special guest together with retired Member for Werriwa Laurie Ferguson, as well as Mr. Nick Sabel CEO of NSW Common Equity the vanguard government agency on affordable social housing in the state, during the humble but but meaningful get-together among Kapit-bahayan cooperative members and co-advocates of housing cooperative movement from the Sedgwick Co-operative in Leumeah, in Campbeltown area.
Kapit-bahayan Co-operative is led by the much awarded community leaders the husband and wife Mr Ruben Amores and wife Dr Cen Amores, both stalwarts of community leadership in the multicultural communities in New South Wales. Mr Amores just recently re-assumed leadership of Kapit-bahayan after a number of years leadership by other co-operarive exponents in the Philippine community.
Co-operative members are beneficiaries of government finance for social housing. And they are even entitled to substantial savings from is refererred to as “sweat equity” for each individual’s contribution to expenses for the maintenance costs (strata) of the housing units. Monthly costs for each unit are graduated according to the income and means of unit holders.
Unit holders comprises the co-operative’s management committee and each member of household from 18 years old and above is invited to the working committee which handles low maintenance work for the houses in the compound.
Other guests during the co-operative’s year-end gathering were Albert Frias, FLAGCOM organisation president, Bivien Nguyen. Lead Organser of Housing Alliance NGO and Jimmy Lopez, Sedwick Co-operative president.
Entertainers during the night included Charles Chan, Aaliyah Yco, Gilda Pagaduan, and the Filipinas Dancers.