Housing aid continues to benefit ‘Pablo’-hit areas

DAVAO ORIENTAL, February 9, 2015 – Some 1,840 families in the three typhoon Pablo-hit areas in the province became recipients to this year’s first distribution of permanent shelters held on February 3, 2015.

Implemented under the Modified Shelter Assistance Program (MSAP), this massive housing project is a joint venture between the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) who bankrolls the funds and the Provincial Government who shoulders the acquisition of resettlement sites.

Based on reports from the MSAP Office pertaining to the recent ceremonial turn over of houses, Baganga town received 920 shelters, 770 in Cateel town and 150 in Boston town.

DSWD XI Assistant Regional Director for Operations, Rebecca A. Santamaria, said she is optimistic that all remaining houses targeted for construction will be completed by the end of March this year.

To date, about 13,780 housing units were already implemented on the ground, offering typhoon survivors opportunity for a fresh start.

During the turn over ceremony held recently, Santamaria said that the strong partnership forged between the DSWD and the Provincial Government caused the quick delivery assistance to the typhoon victims.

She added that partnership has always been at the core of what DSWD does, and the Provincial Government’s active role in this partnership has what made this joint venture a reality.

She also made positive remarkson the resiliency showed by the people of Davao Oriental amidst the hardships they have tackled in the wake of the disaster that shattered their homes and lives. She said this resiliency coupled with the socio-economic developments here had made the Province of Davao Oriental a model in development and became one of the country’s most benchmarked provinces when it comes to disaster response and rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Gov. Corazon N. Malanyaon said that the downpour of support from the local and international community has made her province grow stronger and resilient, knowing that despite the mounting challenges, ‘there are still people with generous and kind hearts that will help meet the urgent needs and help the province build resilience’.

“Without partnerships and convergence, this evident development on three hard-hit towns would be impossible,” said the governor. (PIO DO)