MANILA, Philippines?Now based in the United States, model-turned-actress-turned-indie film producer Bessie Badilla keeps coming back to the Philippines to fulfill a pact with her late husband, businessman Bambi del Castillo.

They had a tempestuous marriage but, in the end, Bessie recalls, Bambi underwent a spiritual transformation that involved a desire to ?give back? to the country.

?We talked about it a lot,? Bessie says. ?To mark his 60th birthday, my husband planned to build homes for the poor.?

Bambi had done thorough research on the subject and found Gawad Kalinga a most worthy advocacy. They were both inspired by the group?s slogan: ?No more slums. No more violence. No more poverty.?

But Bambi died on May 28, 2006 at age 56.

Bessie set out to pursue his dream, forging alliances with GK and Mayor Juanita Manzana of Pangil, Laguna, as well as local businesswoman Carolina Tanco-Yang.

Two years ago, Bessie, with daughters Blanca and Ines, led ground-breaking ceremonies at the GK village now called Bambiville in Barangay Balian, Pangil.

On June 20, her husband?s 60th birthday, Badilla, GK reps, Yang and Manzana turned over the keys to 30 families who were building the houses themselves.

?Ondoy? survivors

Most of the families were survivors of Tropical Storm ?Ondoy.? As in all GK projects, they will be taught livelihood skills.

?Since Bambiville is located near the mountain, it is considered an ?ecoville.? No trees were cut to build this village,? Bessie notes. Completion of Phase 1 is set in December.

She hails Tony Meloto, the man behind GK, as ?heaven-sent.?

Bessie promised Bambi she would pursue her own advocacy when she turned 50. ?He guessed correctly that it would involve the arts,? Bessie says.

That milestone came two years ago and, true enough, her pet cause involved indie filmmaking.

Apart from her bio-docu, ?Dance of My Life,? she co-produced Ralston Jover?s ?Baseco Bakal Boys??about children who dive for scrap metal in Manila Bay.

?When we started shooting, one of the kids was illiterate,? Bessie relates. ?Now he?s in school. It would be a personal triumph to get all 15 boys to finish their studies.?

Whenever ?Bakal Boys? wins or gets screened in a film fest abroad, Badilla turns over the proceeds to the boys? schooling fund.

?People ask how much I made and how much I?ve given. I didn?t get a single centavo back, but my joy is priceless, seeing the boys in school,? says Bessie, now in Manila to fulfill another dream?to play a beggar in a film by Cannes winner Brillante Mendoza.