BUTUAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga Office and the local government unit (LGU) of Magallanes, Agusan del Norte inaugurated 25 units of core shelter built in Barangay Caloc-an in December 2011.
These core shelter units are built through DSWD’s Core Shelter Assistance Program or CSAP. This is a rehabilitation program which aims to provide structurally strong shelter units that can withstand 180-220 kph wind velocity to families whose houses were totally destroyed by natural and man-made calamities and who have no capacity to build or construct their own units.
The project aims to 1)Reduce the number of homeless families every year by providing a structurally strong indigenous shelter which can withstand approximately 180-220 kph wind velocity, earthquake of moderate intensity and other similar hazards; 2)Maximize participation and draw commitment of the beneficiaries and the whole neighborhood to make the shelter unit livable and to maintain structurally strong housing standards; and Develop and promote the value of self-reliance among the beneficiaries and the community.
The beneficiaries of CSAP are organized into Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance (NASA), which promotes collective action in realizing the goals of the project. The association also addresses the vulnerabilities of the community while empowering beneficiaries to make the core shelter livable and more sustainable.
Magallanes Mayor Demosthenes H. Arabaca enjoined the25 family beneficiaries to take care of the new houses saying, “Since you deserve this core shelter project, you take care of these houses just as you take care of yourselves.”
The 25 families who benefited the project come from low-lying areas in some barangays of Magallanes that are easily flooded. Each family beneficiary received P 70,000.00 for the materials from DSWD while the local government of Magallanes provided the lot where the houses now stand. The LGU also provided for the labor cost.
Bukas Neighborhood Association (BANASA) president Edwin Anida was all smiles while thanking the DSWD and LGU for this project, “Mapasalamaton kami sa nagpasiugda aning prohekto kay inyong kaming gihatagan og bag-ong kapuy-an (We are thankful to the initiators of this project for giving us our new home).
DSWD Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat graced the occasion together with Mrs. Angelita Amista, Chief, Operations Division of DSWD Caraga, the municipal legislators headed by Vice Mayor Margarito Auguis, Ms. Miriam Pagaran, representative of Congresswoman Angel Amante-Matba. Fr. Silverio Relova blessed the new shelter units. ### (Social Marketing Unit)
