COLORS — light or dark — play an essential role in human life.
They shape behavior, evoke emotions, and even influence decisions.
Yes, they also brighten our personal environments.
More importantly, hues can serve as powerful stimuli for healing — whether from distressing situations, calamitous events, or medical challenges.
In this context, colors take center stage in a community in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, where “healing” has yet to fully begin for 105 families whose lives were deeply scarred by Super Typhoon Tino seven months ago.
It bears recalling that when Tino (Kalmaegi) battered the Visayas, including Negros Occidental, on November 4, 2025, lives were lost and thousands of families were left homeless.
Tino’s deluge ranks among the most devastating in Negros history. Victims described it as a “brown tsunami” — flash floods mixed with mud and logs that swept through communities with terrifying force.
La Carlota City was among the hardest-hit areas in the southern part of the province.
Seven months after Tino’s wrath, hundreds of families in this “Drum Beating Capital” of Negros remain homeless — still reeling from loss and striving to rebuild their lives in safer, permanent locations.
For these survivors, the dream is simple yet profound: to rebuild homes free from the fear of future calamities — nothing more, nothing less.
And now, hope has arrived for 105 families in La Carlota.
They have been identified as beneficiaries of a housing project by the Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation, Inc..
BAHAY KUBO–INSPIRED
The project, now rising on a one-hectare site in Sitio Ferlou, Barangay La Granja, La Carlota City, began construction of colorful, bahay kubo-inspired units in February. Completion is targeted for May.
Each 26-square-meter, two-bedroom housing unit costs around ₱70,000 — funded through the support of Assumption schools and alumni worldwide.
The land, meanwhile, was provided by the La Carlota City local government.
What makes these NVC-built houses truly striking is their vibrant palette. From a distance, they resemble playful cottages — almost like rows of colorful candies.
NVC president Millie Kilayko beams with pride over the initiative.
“Paint will help preserve the marine plywood used for the bahay kubo-inspired houses,” she explains. “But more than that, colors can heal the dark and somber moods of families who have lived for months in evacuation centers.”
“Colors can also infuse fresh hope. A new village in various hues can serve as a daily reminder to its wounded residents that life can begin again,” she adds.
FRESH START
Today, some of the houses already stand — simple yet sturdy shelters meant to give displaced families a fresh start.
In the wake of disaster, Kilayko emphasizes that rebuilding begins with courage — and with people willing to hope for something better.
“I dreamt that the houses would look nice and lively with colored paint,” she shares.
The homes feature a blend of soft blues, warm yellows, and hopeful greens. Each shade, Kilayko explains, transforms the relocation site from a row of temporary shelters into a vibrant community.
Beyond aesthetics, a layer of quality paint protects and preserves the houses for years to come.
Color, therefore, represents more than decoration — it symbolizes healing.
Yet Kilayko’s vision goes beyond appearances. Built with marine plywood, these bahay kubo-inspired houses are designed for durability, practicality, and speed of construction.
RESTORING DIGNITY
For Kilayko, rebuilding is not merely about erecting walls and roofs.
“It is about restoring dignity, hope, and a sense of home,” she points out.
For families who endured the terror of the storm and the uncertainty that followed, these brightly painted homes stand as daily reminders that life can begin again.
In a sense, the story unfolds like this: after Tino, the first miracle was survival. The second was shelter.
And perhaps, the next miracle will come in buckets of paint — transforming not just houses, but human spirits.
‘COLORFUL RESCUE’
In the end, Kilayko believes that hope can begin with something as simple as a splash of color. Healing follows.
Welcome, then, to a “colorful world” for people whose lives were once dimmed — nearly extinguished — by a tragedy that swept across towns and cities in the 4th and 5th districts of Negros Occidental.
Yet, amid the devastation, grace prevailed. What emerges now is a festival of colors — symbols of healing and renewed hope for those who survived the fury of Tino.
Kudos to NVC for this simple yet sui generis project.
It does more than touch hearts — it creates lasting memories for survivors, reminding them that, at one point in their darkest hour, people like Millie Kilayko and her team came as lifelines — offering what can only be described as a “colorful rescue.”
A compassion-driven initiative, rooted in a genuine desire to uplift the needy.
Mission accomplished — soon, we hope./PN
