DSWD releases P76M for shelter of storm victims in Ilocos By Joanne Namnama G. Parrocha SAN FERNANDO CITY, Oct. 24 (PIA) –The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Ilocos region has provided nearly P76 million to build low-cost housing units to typhoon-affected families. Maricel Calejo, head of the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU), said the amount covers a total of 1,083 housing units given to typhoon victims from 2009 up to 2012 under the department’s Core Shelter Assistance Project (CSAP). Families were left homeless due to previous typhoons “Pepeng”, “Pedring”, “Quiel”, “Mina” and other calamities that hit Region 1. Costing P70,000 each, the DSWD core shelters were built in the towns of Sta.Barbara Bani and Rosales in Pangasinan (883), Laoag City in Ilocos Norte (50) and the towns of Santa and Santa Maria in Ilocos Sur (150). Qualified beneficiaries were organized as members of the Neighborhood Shelter Assistance Association (NASA) who are then empowered to implement the program through participating capability building activities. “Aside from providing core shelter units, the CSAP is also a community development initiative where the beneficiaries show the bayanihan spirit because they help each other during the construction of their own core houses,” Calejo said. Further, despite the low cost materials used in the construction, beneficiaries are assured that core shelter projects are structurally strong and environment friendly. “It can withstand even typhoon signal number four with very strong winds of more than 185 kilometers per hour,” said Calejo. Under the project, the DSWD provides the funds for the construction materials while the local government units provide the land where the shelters are put up. The housing project is part of the DSWD’s disaster management and rehabilitation efforts to address the shelter needs of displaced families. (MCA/JNP/PIA1-La Union)
Posted on: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 03:13:33 +0000
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