PANAY, Capiz-The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) released P7.7 million on Saturday (November 22, 2014) for residents here whose houses were damaged by typhoon Haiyan locally known Yolanda.
The fund was intended for 110 core shelter recipients who each got P70,000 for the construction of their houses.
No less than DSWD regional director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre turned over the amount to the LGU of Panay represented by Mayor Dante Bermejo and the recipients in a ceremonial turn over activity witnessed by Human Settlement Officer Bernhard Barth of UN Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific based in Fukuoka, Japan.
To ensure that the money will go to its intended purpose, the fund was entrusted to the Panay homeowners association who will be working together with the UN Habitat in the building of the shelter project called “Post Yolanda Support for Safer Homes and Settlements.” This project is implemented by UN Habitat, DSWD, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, Government of Japan, and Social Housing Finance Corporation.
The beneficiaries of Panay, also called program partners in this project, are just part of 610 target families to be completed by March 2015. Other recipients are Roxas City, Pontevedra, both in Capiz and Estancia in Iloilo Province.
Aside from the DSWD funding, the UN Habitat will also put in its own resources to complete the construction. In fact, it has already completed the construction of 12 houses in Baybay, Roxas City alone.
Releasing of DSWD funds for the other three LGUs will be conducted upon submission of necessary documents.

THE PROJECT
The project uses a community driven approach to recovery and rehabilitation under UN’s Post Yolanda Support for Safer Homes and Settlements.
It aims to address the need of Yolanda-affected families for better and safer homes and settlements. Consultations with community groups helped UN Habitat design and refine a sturdy house meant to meet basic needs of the beneficiary households. The design was developed in collaboration with the Capiz chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines, and its structural integrity has been checked by the Capiz chapter of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines.

SOUND SLEEP AT NIGHT
Two women from Panay expressed their gratefulness to UN Habitat, DSWD, the LGU, government of Japan and partner implementers.
“Ginguba gid ya sang bagyo ang amon balay. Salamat gid sa inyo nga tanan sa bulig (The typhoon totally destroyes our house. Thank you so much to all of you for helping us),” the said.
Adelfa Barrera, 33 years old, of Brgy. Pawa who brought her three-month-old baby Aldrin and 33-year-old Jessica Alcazarin, who had with her three-year-old Jaymar were appreciative of the project.
They said that they could finally have sturdy houses that could withstand disaster and that their children “would have a safer place to stay and a sound sleep at night.”
Likewise, Angelie Albario, 33 years old, of Crossing Bato, said that, “We could never build a house on our own. Thank you for the help.”/dswd6(with report from UN Habitat Philippines and UN Habitat Roxas City Office)