Honeywell Rebuilds School in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)

GUIUAN, Philippines, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Honeywell (NYSE: HON) announced today the grand opening of the Ngolos Honeywell Elementary School in Guiuan, Eastern Samar in the Philippines. The community school replaces a facility that was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), a Category 5 storm in November 2013.

Honeywell President of Indonesia, Alex Pollack, led the opening ceremony, joined by project members and dignitaries, including Christopher Sheen Gonzales, Mayor of Guiuan; Annaliza Gonzales Kwan, former Mayor of Guiuan; Kerry Kennedy, Director of Honeywell Hometown Solutions; Richard Walden, CEO Operation USA and Esperanza Esquierdo, Ngolos Honeywell Elementary School Principal.  

"Honeywell helps to rebuild the lives of our employees and the communities affected by natural disasters," said Pollack. "It is our hope that with the support of Honeywell Hometown Solutions and Operation USA, we can bring normalcy back to the children and families."

"In Guiuan, every person, family and building was impacted by the typhoon. Honeywell and Operation USA completed one of the first major construction projects in our municipality in less than a year," said Mayor Gonzales. "Our children now have a beautiful school that will serve all future generations. Thank you so much Honeywell and Operation USA for providing a safe and comfortable learning environment for the children."

Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, immediately partnered with Operation USA, to rebuild this elementary school in this region. It was funded by more than 1,800 Honeywell employees who contributed to the Honeywell Humanitarian Relief Fund (HHRF), which provides direct support to Honeywell employees and communities in need whenever a natural disaster strikes. One hundred percent of employees' donations go directly to the people who need help rebuilding their lives as they cope with destruction from wildfires, hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, earthquakes and other types of natural disasters.

"Honeywell has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the recovery efforts in the Guiuan region and without them this vital project could not have been realized," said Walden. "We are honored to have worked hand-in-hand with Honeywell and its employees to build this elementary school and see the positive impact it has on the entire community."

The Ngolos Honeywell Elementary School is more than 6,000 square feet in size and currently serves 250 students and eight teachers in grades 1-6. The facility includes eight classrooms, an administrative office, two bathrooms, a playground and a basketball court. Honeywell will continue to support the project through a 5-year term agreement.  

The school was designed to withstand winds up to 155 miles (250 kilometers) per hour and has been designated as an evacuation center for the residents of Ngolos Barangay in the event of an emergency or natural disaster. In December 2014, the school was used as an emergency shelter during Typhoon Hagupit and kept the community safe from harm.

Operation USA is an international relief agency that helps communities overcome the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid.

Since 2001 Honeywell employees have generously responded to other natural disasters, including the Hurricane Sandy in the northeastern part of the U.S., the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, as well as tornadoes, flooding and wildfires around the world. 

Following Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), the Honeywell Aerospace business supported the region by creating new aeronautical navigation procedures which will be used to improve aid, relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts for the Leyte region including Tacloban and the surrounding areas. Honeywell and Hughes Aerospace absorbed the entire cost of the development of these approaches at the airport to ensure the flow of relief supplies is not impacted in the future. Also, the Honeywell Subic Bay site, opened in 2003, provides repair and overhaul on aircraft wheels and brakes.

About Honeywell Hometown Solutions
Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company's corporate citizenship initiative, focuses on five areas of vital importance: Family Safety & Security, Housing & Shelter, Science & Math Education, Habitat & Conservation, and Humanitarian Relief. Together with leading public and non-profit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. For more information, please visit www.honeywell.com/citizenship.

About Honeywell
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. Today, Honeywell is working closely with local distributors and dealers to provide products and services in the Philippines. Honeywell CEASA (Subic Bay) Company, Inc. employs about 20 employees locally.  For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit http://www.honeywellnow.com/.

Media Contacts:
Kerry Kennedy
Tele.: 973-455-4087
[email protected]  

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150323/183697

SOURCE Honeywell

Related Links

http://www.honeywell.com