‘Eco-brick’ building for kids with leukemia to rise in CDO

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- A three-story building made of “eco-bricks” will soon rise here that will serve as a treatment facility for children with leukemia.

The proposed building, which will be named “Balay Lunas” (House of Healing), will be erected within the 14-hectare land in Zayas, a former garbage dumpsite that is now converted into an eco-park.

The materials to be used are “eco-bricks,” which are made of plastic garbage that was the source of livelihood of former garbage scavengers that formed a cooperative.

The City’s Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) chief, Engr. Armen Cuenca, on Friday said the eco-bricks to be used have durability better than the usual hollow blocks.

“The durability of the eco brick is 700 pound per square inch (psi) compared to a hollow block which is only 400 psi. In fact, we can

get 35 percent savings when we will use the eco-bricks,” he said.

Mayor Oscar Moreno, in his speech, expressed gratitude on the success of the project that would benefit both the less fortunate waste pickers and children with leukemia.