Monday, November 24, 2014

DSWD, LGU distribute shelters to ‘Pablo’-affected areas in Davao Oriental

DAVAO ORIENTAL, November 24, 2014—Some 2,779 families in the typhoon-ravaged towns in the province’s eastern coast became recipient to a new batch of housing units implemented under the Modified Shelter Assistance Program (MSAP) through the partnership of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Provincial Government.

DSWD Sec. Corazon ‘Dinky’ Solimanpersonally handed over last Friday, November 21, the certificate of occupancy to residents who have lost their homes from super typhoon Pablo almost two years ago in three towns of Boston, Cateel, and Baganga.

She said she is in awe of Davao Oriental’s remarkable recovery, which is now being benchmarked by the national government in terms of rehabilitation and recovery from disasters. In fact, its Building Back Better Agenda is now being adopted in the rehabilitation of other provinces stricken by disasters.

The department secretary lauded the leadership of Gov. Corazon N. Malanyaon, who stirred many astounding development in the province not only in terms ofhousing but also in other economic endeavors, particularly in agriculture and tourism industry.

Governor Malanyaon said she is very overwhelmed by the DSWD’s support to her province. “If there’s one agency who we should really thank for their support, then that would be the DSWD,” she says. “I personally have been a witness to their massive support to the province since day one until now in our rehabilitation phase.”

She also lauded the efforts of the department for standing ready especially when it comes to providing long-term shelters to the hapless typhoon victims, who can’t build houses on their own, given their lack of financial resources.

She further underscored how convergence and partnership between the DSWD and the provincial government had successfully accomplished many undertakings for development, especially in the implementation this massive housing project.

To date, a total of 10,173 housing units have already been turned over to beneficiaries in the three towns. Around 5,095 shelters, on the other hand, are about to be completed and will soon be turned over to its respective beneficiaries.

Although originally designed as a core shelter, the provincial government made sure that these houses will still have a ceiling and exterior painting just like any other typical housing project. Resettlement sites are also being equipped with electrification, drainageand water system.

The MSAP is one of the many programs of the national government intended to help typhoon victims in these towns recover as quickly as possible.

In the implementation of permanent shelters under the MSAP, the cost for construction was financed by the DSWD, while the land acquisition and development was borne by the provincial government—in line with its principle of counterparting.

Recipients of these new houses say they are overawed for this new opportunity to start over with their lives. They say they are grateful for the assistance provided by the DSWD together with the provincial government as well as the local government.

Support to Livelihood

Aside from shelter provision, the DSWD also provided livelihood assistance for the locals.

Sec. Diliman, during her visit,turned over P31 million cash assistance under the Cash for Building Livelihood Asset (CBLA) Program. The said funds will be used as cash-for-work for the desilting of irrigation canals of the Cateel Irrigation System.

This newly inaugurated Cateel Irrigation System, which was built and managed by the Provincial Government, now supplies water from the irrigation dam to the rice fields. Touted as one of Mindanao’s biggest, this irrigation system is now supplying water to about 2,000 hectares of rice fields in Cateel, thus, anticipated to improve not only rice sufficiency level but would also help boost local economy.

To date, DSWD has already shelled out about P49 million pesos under Sustainable Livelihood Program, which provides different livelihood for typhoon-affected residents. KLD-PIO DavOr

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