Cordillera Administrative Region– Around 506 families from Tabuk City in Kalinga, Bauko in Mt. Province and Tublay in Benguet will now be enjoying their peace of mind even during onslaught of natural calamities after they have received their core shelters from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In partnership with their respective local government units (LGUs), these families have been the newest recipient of DSWD’s Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) in the region. The CSAP is the program of the DSWD which provides safer homes to indigent families who have been victims of past natural calamities or those that have been identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to reside in hazardous areas.

For the first quarter of 2014, 301 core shelter units have been completed and turned over by the DSWD. 40 core shelter units have already been completed and turned over to the beneficiaries in Brgy. Agbanawag in the Tabuk, Kalinga. On the other hand, 51 units have already been completed and turned over to the victims of Typhoon Pepeng in Tublay, Benguet. And 210 core shelter units for the municipality of Bauko.  60 other units are funded in Tabuk, Kalinga and 145 in Bauko, Mt. Province are targetted for turnover to the beneficiaries  by June 2014.

DSWD-CAR Regional Director Leonardo C. Reynoso acknowledges the beneficiaries and their respective local government units for their continuous engagement in the implementation of the program.

The DSWD-CAR has allotted around P 35. 42 M for the construction of these core shelter units while the LGUs also provided lots used as relocation sites as their counter parts. Aside from providing the lots, the LGU of Tabuk City has provided additional P1M for the plastering and

and painting of the shelter units. On the other hand, Order of Malta, a non-government organization has also provided water pipes for the units in Tublay, Benguet. The Provincial Government of Benguet has also provided P 200,000 financial assistance used for painting the units in the municipality.

Conceptualized in 1980’s, the DSWD implemented the Core Shelter Assistance Program in partnership with the LGUs of identified beneficiaries.

CSAP uses a standard design for the housing units. The design, which is a recipient of the World Habitat Award in 1990, has been proven to withstand intensity 4 earthquakes and 220 kph wind velocity. The unit is constructed within a 60-80 square meter area with two bed rooms, a rest room and a kitchen.

Since 1990, there are already 2,582 core shelters funded by the DSWD. 356 of which are in Abra, 494 are constructed in Apayao, 208 in Benguet, 79 are in Ifugao, 115 can be found in Kalinga and 1,330 in Mt. Province. A total of 2,203 units have already been completed. # DSWD-CAR, Social Marketing Unit, NFGV