FOR a country like the Philippines, where population explosion continues to be a national concern, insufficient housing provision apparently is a never-ending problem among the populace. Adding to the backlog is the low quality of dwellings available, especially for the marginalized sector.Good thing there is a corporate citizen whose unprecedented effort is dedicated to help Filipinos realize their dreams of owning a decent and safe home. With Solid Group of Cos.’ my|house, every Filipino can now have a home he/she can truly call his/her own—conducive enough to live a life that is comfortable and peaceful.
Just like the company’s founder, lawyer Elena Lim, my|house rose from a humble beginning.
“Growing up in Tacloban, Leyte, I never had lived in our own house. My family once lived in a rented government house without running water,” Lim told the BusinessMirror. “I still grew up in that environment when we moved to Manila, where we cramped in a one room tenement. But because of my hardwork and faith in God, my dream of having a good home has long since been fulfilled.”
Unfortunately for most Filipino families today, owning a house continues to be a dream. And this is what motivated Lim to pursue Solid Group’s Green Sun concept, which seeks to provide affordable-housing solutions for industrious generation of teachers, soldiers, police and other civil servants honorable lifestyle and peaceful communities. This is part of her family’s commitment to engage in businesses that uplift the quality of being and dignity of life of the people.
“Filipinos deserve to live with dignity,” she stressed. “This is what we are trying to give them with my|house—a real house that is built to last.”
Solid foundation
THE Solid Group of Cos. is a prime example of a homegrown business that started from scratch and has become a reputable and responsible conglomerate.
Guided by Elena Lim and her husband Joseph Lim, they have established their brands—and even their lives—motivated by a mission to help improve the lives of every Filipino. This thrust, molded by the company’s six decades of solid experience, has been passed on to the second generation, who keeps the dream through their newly established brand, my|house.
“The 60 years’ journey has been exhilarating. Although there were times that were disappointing, but still it was worth striving for because, in the end, there is a good thing that comes out,” said Mrs. Lim.
Now with the second generation of Lims, led by her son David, the man behind the sensational my|phone, the company, through my|house, has achieved the family’s goal to give back to the country and its people by doing “something potently good.”
The story of my|house started when the Lims went to China last year, where they met a government-owned company that provides housing to the victims of the devastating Sichuan earthquake who had lost their homes. Thus began a business partnership through exclusive distributorship of the latter’s modular building technology in the Philippines.
“So by introducing this [my|house], hopefully, we can give dignity and pride to our fellow Filipinos,” Mrs. Lim said.
A space to own
MINDFUL of the growing national need for housing, the Solid Group has taken the initiative to help address this concern—and beyond—with an innovative way to provide Filipinos dwelling units of good quality. Through my|house, their brand of modular-building technology, Filipinos can now own a house that is safe, resilient and easy to build within their means.
“You can get it as low as P88,000,” Mrs. Lim disclosed, noting that it’s affordable for as low as P3,000 per square meter. “Compared with condominiums that sell 18-square-meter units for millions of pesos, my|house units of 23 sq m can go for less than P100,000. It’s creating a new category in real-estate entry-level houses.”
The new my|house provides various home and building designs using lightweight steel structures, including the columns, beams and trusses securely fastened together with the roofing, flooring and wall panels. Apart from the roof panels, the color-coated modular steel sandwich boards of the external and partition wall panels are inserted with EPS, or polyurethane, foam heat-insulating layers.
The kits have international-grade strength that can withstand harsh weather conditions—storm winds, fires, typhoons and even earthquakes. They’re so simple and quick to install, which can be built in a day or two by individuals or groups, thus saving more on labor expense.
All projects come with erection drawings and blue prints for foundation requirements to facilitate slab work and make construction team informed of the erection procedure. Most of the connections are performed with drilling screws in various grades and sizes. Customization is also possible as the design allows for no load bearing walls to be moved or new ones added. Builders now have the option to create their own custom floor plan.
Once my|house is installed, the mainly steel building is easy to maintain.
Unlike wood and other building materials, steel structures are more durable, safer, cost efficient, space-saving, long-lasting, repeatable and recycled, green and environment-friendly.
“my|house is really a revolutionary product. It’s really going to change the landscape of the housing industry in the country,” said David Lim.
Promising solution
NOT just a product, my|house is indeed a solution using top-of-the-line technology. Aside from being an abode, it can be made into various kinds of accommodation as it comes in different designs.
The K Type includes models for schools, sari-sari stores and worker’s quarters; the T Type is for warehouses, resettlement homes and dormitories; and the C Type for showrooms, libraries and offices. What’s more, it can also double as military camps, beach houses and even emergency housing for those hit by calamities.
“So this is obviously attractive for community- and local government-sponsored housing projects,” David Lim said. “my|house is going to be public-and private-sector driven given the strong growth in the housing industry.”
With Solid Group’s modular-building technology, buyers are also guaranteed a good return on investment (ROI). According to him, ROI for my|house is just two-and-a-half years as it lessens energy consumption via its insulation feature, easy maintenance and installation.
The new housing portfolio of Solid Group also promises good potential for entrepreneurial-minded Filipinos. For as long as the buyers have a lot to erect the structure, they can avail of any of the types of my|house meant for leasing, while preserving the value of the land. In the future, they can also bequeath it to their children or family.
“So there’s really a big sector underneath the real estate industry that is untapped that we can serve through this, apart from those in need of a housing,” David Lim said.
Looking forward, the matriarch of the Solid Group is eyeing—in five years time—to have the roof replaced with solar panels once its market value decline. She said: “Our plan is indeed to go eco-friendlier.”
Still with the marginalized Filipinos in mind, David hopes that “one day, we will have enough scale so I can produce it here [locally] to bring down the price even further.”
“Truly with my|house, may ‘K’ [karapatan] na ang Pinoy to own a house [Filipinos now have the right to own a home],” he stressed. For more info, call +639173236123.
In Photo: Mrs. Elena Lim (Photos by Nonie Reyes)
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