The 1st Ever Eco-Friendly Mud Chapel in Negros!

The Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc. and Tapulanga Foundation, Inc. held the 2nd Mud House Building Workshop in Negros last April 19 - 24, 2010. This time, the Akubo Prayer House was built in St. Francis of Assisi School of Silay City. The prayer house is donated by Akubo Software, Inc. (www.akubo.net).

Why build with mud? Mudhouse building technology has been around for at least 6,000 years. It is still being used in countries like Thailand, India and Australia. Built with abundant natural material, mudhouses are sustainable, low-cost and an eco-friendly housing option. Mudhouses are ideal in tropical climates. They are well insulated, staying cool in the summer and keep the warmth in cold weather. Building with mud allows you the creative freedom to turn a home into a natural sculpture!

Twenty-five people joined the workshop,

four of whom flew all the way from Manila!

Ms. Kaila Ledesma was the facilitator of the workshop.
A true inspiration to all of us as she shared not only her knowledge
but her time, resource, dedication and enthusiasm
in building the mud chapel.

The chapel is 70 squares meter in size.
SFAS has no chapel or prayer room in campus because it would
cost the school Php500,000 to build one and it just couldn't afford.
The estimated cost for the mud chapel is Php100,000, labor and materials.

Recycled wine bottles, medicine bottles and glass and ceramic plates
were used on the walls for design. Many of the participants
had so much creative juices in them - they flowed out in all the walls of the mud chapel!

The mud chapel is almost done!
The walls are being coated with lime.
The roof is half-way covered with cogon grass.

The manual labor was therapeutic while creating wall designs made us artistic! The workshop was a fulfilling community-building project and I'm grateful to have been part of it. - Fiona Borres (Manila)

...now my dream of building my own house has become so doable and affordably real :) - Bing Benin (Silay)

"At whatever phase you are in your life, you have to challenge yourself to do unfamiliar things and learn the discipline that goes with it." - Mrs. Lynell Gaston (Silay)

TEAMWORK! Teamwork made our mudhouse successful. In a group work you should work as one. Teamwork made our work easier, faster and lighter. - Edcil Buensuceso (SFAS student)

There's no quicker and more fulfilling way to get things done but through community effort. - Tara Illenberger (Manila)

Beauty can come from the simplest of materials, with creativity and the right frame of mind. - Leah Sanchez (Manila)

A special thank you to these people who donated their time and/or resources
during the Mudhouse Workshop:
Bonfire Productions (documenting the workshop)
Lonoy Agricultural Corporation (donated all the rice straw and husk we needed)
Mr. and Mrs. Joey Benin (donated antique bowls, lent their ladder and
sent reinforcement on our last day when we needed more people to work)
NIIC Lime (donated our lime)
Nina Paras (donated glass bowls)
Miles and Lenchen Abello, Denise Gaston, Aiai Lim, Marvy Sala, Mitzi Tonggoy, Mymy Luzuriaga, Joey Gaston (donated wine bottles)
Jamete Trebol (for the beautiful bird/dove sculptures)
Tinihaban Agricultural Corporation (extra reinforcement and FINISHING the chapel)
Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Segovia (tents to cover the mudhouse when the rains came)