Typhoon Pablo victims get new homes

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has turned over an initial 115 permanent homes in a newly-completed housing project for families rendered homeless by Typhoon Pablo that ravaged southern Mindanao in December 2012.

The homes, built by the DSWD under its Modified Shelter Assistance Program, are for residents of Barangay Kidawa in Laak, Compostela Valley.

Some 5,116 houses in Laak were destroyed by Pablo, 456 of them in Brgy. Kidawa.

The DSWD is targeting to build 4,813 permanent homes in Laak, in two relocation sites declared safe for housing by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

The 115 units were turned over by the DSWD to the family-recipients on Dec. 22.

Spearheaded by the provincial government, the housing units were constructed through the cash-for-work and Gawad Kalinga’s bayanihan schemes.

The government spent P20.7 million for the completion of the 115 units. With a lot area of 70 square meters, each unit comes painted inside and out, with bathroom and septic tank, separate kitchen, and window-level concrete wall.

Compostela Valley Governor Arturo Uy said he instructed his department heads and 82 employees to personally supervise and monitor the construction of the units.

“The housing design is sturdier. The residents have already organized the Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance to ensure the cleanliness and overall maintenance of the relocation site. The residents are now more united and more prepared for disaster,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman explained as she urged the families to take care of their new homes.

Of the initial recipients, 39 are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

President Aquino recently went to Brgy. Kidawa to inspect the housing units.

Addressing the beneficiaries, the President said that there were still many things to be done, with thousands of permanent homes still to be constructed in 2014.

“Marami pa tayong kailangang gawin at mahaba pa ang ating lalakbayin. Sulong tayo sa pag-unlad nating lahat (We still need to do a lot and our journey is far from over. Let’s move forward towards progress),” he said.