Lavezares, Northern Samar — DSWD awarded 110 beneficiaries from Bobon and Lavazares, Northern Samar, each with P160, 000.00 worth of shelter units in checks.

“Iyo unta higugma-un, ngan ayaw igbaligya kay para gud ini hit iyo pamilya”, (May you love and cherish this gift as this endowment is really for your family), thus exhorts Bobon Mayor Rene Celespara during the recent Awarding of Checks to Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) beneficiaries of Bobon and Lavezares, Northern Samar.

Both Mayors Rene Celespara and Quintin Saludaga expressed slight disbelief that the projects for both municipalities will push through as a lot of residents questioned its veracity.  Everything has beenmade possible, though, through prayers and concerted efforts by many at the two LGUs and DSWD so that the less fortunate beneficiaries would be served.  Says Mayor Saludaga, “Tungud hit DSWD ngan han lus-ay nira nga bulig han mga tawo, mahihimo ini.” (Because of DSWD and their sincere help for the people, this can be made possible.)

Mayors Celespara and Saludaga also expressed their gratitude to DSWD Field Office VIII through Regional Director Resty Macuto and told beneficiaries that they, in turn, should give their counterpart, that is, labor in the building these houses.

DSWD F0VIII’s Policy and Plans Division Chief (PPDC) Yvonne Abonales spoke in behalf of Regional Director Macuto and said:  “This is another milestone; another accomplishment. Of the many affected by typhoons Ruby and Nona, an additional of 110 families have now been aided by the government.”

PPDC Abonales also went on to say how fortunate the grantees are, considering the amount given out to each beneficiary, compared to that which was given in 1995 (P50,000.00), which was a only little more than one-third of the grant given today.  She, therefore, encouraged everyone to have that “bayanihan” spirit of helping build each other’s houses.

Abonales went on to explain the following requirements that have to be met by DSWD and the municipalities in order for this Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) to be a reality.  The first of which is the lot or the place where the houses will be built.  Without this piece of land there would be no core shelter project.   Second, the counterpart of the LGU is to complete the units.  Third, Core shelter. The core shelter program grant cost P9.6 M for Lavezares and P8M for Bobon, totaling to P17.6M for Northern Samar.   The fourth requirement is monitoring.  DSWD F0 VIII Core Shelter Focal (CSF) Evangeline Ty will monitor the said housing project.  While Mayors Celespura of Bobon and Quintin Saludaga of Lavezares will ensure the maintenance of peaceful, gambling and drug-free communities, CSF Ty will help make sure that the 110 houses be finished within 90 days, as this is the program’s set time schedule.

PPDC Abonales also relayed DSWD’s thanks for everyone’s cooperation and encouraged everyone “na gawin natin

ang trabaho ng matapat, mahusay at magiliw.”

Wrote DSWD’s Undersecretary Vilma Cabrera in one of her reports, the Core Shelter Housing Project involves the provision of environmentally friendly, structurally strong shelter units that can withstand a range of hazards such as typhoons, flooding and mild earthquakes using locally available construction materials. The project not only involves shelter provision but also includes capacity building and organization of residents into Neighborhood Associations for Shelter Assistance (NASA). The Philippines’ local government units provide counterpart such as, but not limited to, land and project site development, technical manpower such as foremen, construction equipment/tools, food for work, among others. The project is an excellent example of how an innovative design, efficient organization and quality control can successfully, and at low-cost, mitigate the effect of typhoons. The project benefits the low-income families whose dwelling units and livelihoods are adversely affected by typhoons.

She added, the design is of a low-cost house which is resistant to typhoons which the people could build themselves using local materials.  Only in this way could the cycle of devastation, which was such a limiting factor in the development of these lives and communities, be broken.   The houses, designed as a result, are simple, inexpensive and made from a range of local materials. Poor people can, with technical guidance and the help of friends and neighbours, build the houses themselves. More recently built shelters have used more durable materials for the roof and wall panels. The wind resistant aspect of the houses is the crucial factor in their design and this ensures that the houses, whilst built using the same materials as previously, are no longer destroyed by strong winds. They are designed to withstand wind velocities of 180 kph and have been proven to do so. ###