06 December 2016 – Ms. Georgina Hernandez, Spokesperson of Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo, met with startups Five by Five and Tridom at the Philippine Embassy in Paris recently for exploratory talks on possible innovative solutions to address the country’s problems in mass housing and urban development.

Ms. Kat Borlongan, co-founder of Five by Five, and Mr. Yaron Schwarcz, Founder of Tridom, presented a possible project for Vice President Robredo, who is also the Chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) of the Philippines.

This project involves bringing the world’s leading experts in the field of affordable housing to the Philippines for a period of three months, during which they will design and build a prototype of a house that will address the needs of the local community.

Ms. Borlongan organized a similar project for Paris in July 2016. Entitled the “Paris Summer Innovation Fellowship”, the project brought together leading experts to solve some of Paris’ problems, such as housing for refugees.

Mr. Schwarcz was one of the experts tapped during the Fellowship. His specialization is in using robotics and 3D technology to “print” concrete houses in less than 24 hours.

Ms. Hernandez is in France to represent the Vice President at the Women’s Forum Global Meeting in Deauville, France on November 30 to December 02.END