TS Pablo rehab workshop session.

DAVAO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently organized a planning workshop on Typhoon Pablo Rehabilitation with the provincial clusters of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley to review what has been accomplished so far and plan out for the activities that need to be achieved in the remaining months of 2013 and what must be delivered in 2014.

“We have invited the two governors, the mayors, the local social workers and engineers of hardest-hit towns as well as the provincial/municipal focals on shelter and food assistance for us to review our coordinated response in the past eight months and be able to focus in the next steps in recovery and rehabilitation especially in the provision of social services,” said Priscilla N. Razon, DSWD Director.

“If we have the funds and materials, we assure you we will build the houses fast. In Gawad Kalinga, we build houses in eight days. With a comprehensive and doable plan for shelter construction, we can build the houses,” emphasized Gov. Arturo T. Uy following his presentation on the provincial response.

Taking up the challenge to construct 6380 permanent shelters in his province by December this year and 7464 in 2014, he pointed out, “Sec. Dinky Soliman was there always in the frontline. DSWD workers did their part, we all agree. On our part, we will try our best to deliver. We assure you walang perang masasayang (no funds will be wasted).”

Gov. Corazon N. Malanyaon said, “We cannot start talking about other things with the affected families unless we provide homes first. Talking about other matters will not make sense to them…..hence I need to finish my commitment this year… I admit DSWD work is excellent. As I said even before, I salute them.”

Davao Oriental is set to complete 7586 permanent shelters within the year and 12,229 in 2014. Engineers of the two provinces presented their respective shelter designs, costs and implementation mechanism while DSWD also showed the design of its Modified Shelter Assistance Program. On the other hand, Atty. Junjun Sawadjaan explained the housing design and capability of Habitat for Humanity in shelter construction.

Following the presentation of proposed housing designs, Assistant Secretary Camilo G. Gudmalin, DSWD, said that in building disaster-resistant homes there is a need to consider and undertake social preparation activities like family validation, site validation, source of building materials and target units per municipality. He assured LGUs that shelter funding will immediately be released. “We commit to support the LGUs. We will continue our close coordination with the LGUs…..We can celebrate on December 4 as we rise from the ashes of Typhoon Pablo.”

DSWD’s commitment in partnership with the two PLGUs is 33,659 permanent shelter units (on site) at P70,000.00 each. Construction of shelter units in resettlement sites (off site) shall be the responsibility of the National Housing Authority which will build 17,480 units. Internally displaced families or disaster victims in the two provinces may avail the Cash For Work at P 226.00 per day while constructing the shelter units.

To date, DSWD has provided 233,354 affected families with over P 1.5 billion relief assistance to cover food packs, non-food items, financial aid, transition shelters, cash for work, emergency shelter assistance, modified permanent shelters, educational assistance, livelihood skills training and cash for training.

The workshop was capped by the MOA Signing between DENR and DSWD on the Use of Hauling Trucks for Food and Non-Food Items and Construction Materials. Meanwhile, DPWH has committed to lend trucks to DSWD for the continuing hauling of relief goods and construction materials to typhoon-devastated towns. DSWD