A total of 65 Kalahi-CIDSS Disaster Risk Reduction Mitigating Housing units funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) were inaugurated and awarded to family beneficiaries of Brgy. Balatson in Burauen, Leyte early morning of September 2, 2016.
“This is a dream come true. All our sacrifices and tears are worth it and we are very thankful”, said Brgy. Chairperson Chona Maurillo during her welcome speech.
Brgy. Balatson, a small community consisting of 270 individuals, is vulnerable to landslide and recurrent flooding. These natural threats and the residents’ experience after the onslaught of Super Typhoon Haiyan compelled them to take action. A better and safer barangay site was the community folks’ only solution which was eventually resolved by DSWD through its Kalahi-CIDSS program.
In a short period of 140 days, community members of Balatson with technical assistance from Kalahi-CIDSS and Burauen LGU, developed a much secured site and constructed their own houses following the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach where target communities participate in a more inclusive local planning and budgeting.
Said project, which was implemented by community members themselves, is considered the first housing undertaking of DSWD’s poverty reduction program, not only in Eastern Visayas, but the whole Philippines. It was supported by a grant of 10.5 million pesos from MCC through the Millennium Challenge Account-Philippines (MCA-P), and a counterpart from the provincial and local government unit worth 1.3M.
Meanwhile, Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Program Coordinator, Babes Sequito, during her message, reminded the family beneficiaries of Balatson to take charge of building a better community just like building better houses.
“Above all, this is not just about the construction of your houses or its infrastructure. Kalahi-CIDSS program is also about building better relationships of your community and your family”, Sequito emphasized.
