Bontoc, Mountain Province− Providing safe and secure homes to disaster-affected families, 47 core shelter units built through the Core Shelter Assistance Project (CSAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development were turned-over to the family-beneficiaries last week.
DSWD FO CAR Represented by Planning Officer IV Marifil Jugal together with the Bontoc Municipal Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong Jr. awarded the Turn-Over of Responsibility and Acceptance of Certificate to the beneficiaries on 31 January 2024 and on 1 February 2024 in Can-eo and Dalican, respectively.
Succeeding the turn-over ceremony, another 20 families in Can-eo and 27 families in Dalican assumes full ownership and responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the core shelter units. It is recalled that there were 56 houses already turned-over last year in both barangays.
The beneficiaries are those houses are located within the danger zone as evaluated by the DENR-Mining and GeoSciences Bureau and who belong below the poverty line.
Under the CSAP, the DSWD granted ₱5,530,000.00 to the Can-eo Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance and ₱ 22,420,190.00 to the Dalican Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance for construction materials. Meanwhile LGU-Bontoc provided assistance such as toilet bowls, Eco-bricks, and technical assistance to complete the project.
The beneficiaries are one in expressing their gratefulness to the Project saying that the financial, food, and technical assistance provided by the DSWD, the LGU, and the community has helped them much in building a safe home.
“Agyaman kami ta ada ti naited nga pangrugian mi nga mangpatakder ti balay mi ditoy ta idjay dati nga ayan mi ket sinking (area). At least nga ada ti tuluyan mi tapno dumakel,” said Olivia Ekid, one of the beneficiaries in Can-eo.
Meanwhile, Concurrent OIC Regional Director Enrique H. Gascon Jr. of the DSWD Field Office CAR congratulated the completion of the housing units and appreciated the bayanihan spirit of both communities.
“Congratulation to each of you in this community for the completion of the house units and to those who are now legitimate home-owners,” relays Jugal.
“The implementation of the Project has strengthened the ‘og-ogfo’ of this community. Let us maintain these houses so we can call it home; take care of it so it may last for your children’s use,” she continued.
In addition, Municipal Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong Jr. appreciated the commitment of DSWD Field Office CAR and the Agency’s programs in providing safe homes to the farthest barangays of Bontoc. He also expressed his commitment to continue collaborating with other agencies in order to help in fast tracking the delivery of basic services in the area including the immediate completion of the core shelters.
# DSWD FIELD OFFICE CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, MYLYN M. BONGSIAN
