“Sinisiguro namin na kayo ay hindi na biktima kundi suvivors,” DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman told 550 families living in nine barangays of Tacloban, said to be danger zones, during the recent ceremonial program for the groundbreaking of the soon-to-rise Pope Francis Village at Barangay 99, Diit, in Tacloban City. She announced that the DSWD has allotted Php38, 500, 000.00 for each household to receive Php70,000.00 as contribution to each of the Php250,000.00 worth of shelter unit. The top official further told the five organized homeowners associations that funds will go direct to their community accounts for them to manage the fund.

“Sasabayan ko kayo sa pagtahak sa pagtayo ng bagong komonidad. Kami ay nakiki-iisa sa inyo,” (We will go along with you in creating a new community. We are one with you.), the DSWD Secretary said,  as she joins peace & development partners who comprise the FRANCESCO (Pope Francis for Resilient and Co-Empowered Sustainable Communities).

Aside from the agency’s fund support to the project, the Secretary announced that the DSWD will provide cash incentive, through its Cash-for-Work scheme, so they will earn while building their houses of this “people – driven model community.” Expected to be completed by September of next year, the project is being implemented by the FRANCESCO,  which is a consortium composed of the NASSA/Caritas Philippines, Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the Roman Catholic Archdocese of Palo, among others.