CHAPEL FOR JESUS’ MOST BELOVED — Felicidad Tan-Sy (2nd from left), wife of arguably the country’s wealthiest man, Henry Sy Sr., turns over the key to the P6.1-million Mary the Queen Chapel to Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo (left) during the June 27, 2016 inauguration and blessing of the place of worship for the poor in Jaro, Iloilo City. Joining them are (from left) Teresita Sy-Coson, Senate President Franklin Drilon, Mrs. Mila Drilon, and Iloilo 2nd District Rep. Arcadio Gorriceta. (Tara Yap)
 
Iloilo City — A P6.1-million chapel has been built by the SM Group of Companies for the resettlement housing project in Iloilo City.
 
“This is for our people’s spiritual needs,” said Senate President Franklin Drilon during the June 27, 2016 inauguration and blessing of Mary The Queen Chapel in Lanit village, Jaro district.
 
“Spiritual fulfillment is important for our people to maintain peace in our city,” said Drilon, a native of Iloilo.
 
The P6.1-million chapel was inaugurated and blessed by Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and was graced by Felicidad Tan-Sy and Teresita Sy-Coson, wife and daughter, respectively, of SM founder Henry Sy Sr.
 
Drilon considered the Mary The Queen Chapel as another successful public-private partnership (PPP) with the SM Group in the city and province of Iloilo.
 
The administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III, through the National Housing Authority (NHA), spent P170 million for the 5.6-hectare housing project intended for the poor who were displaced by various government projects in Iloilo City.
 
“We built the homes and even the school.  SM built this chapel,” Drilon noted.
 
SM Cares, a division of corporate social responsibility arm SM Foundation Inc., also funded a housing project for survivors of super typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) in Concepcion town, Iloilo province. SM Cares built 200 disaster-resilient housing units.