Houses given to folks in Bontoc relocated from landslide danger zones

By Christy Mae F. Che-es

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Houses were turned over last week to folks of this capital town living in dangerous landslide-prone areas.
    The Dept. of Social Welfare and Development Cordillera and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office turned over 59 core shelters here in Barangay Can-eo on May 31 and 29 in Barangay Dalican June 1.
    The core shelter assistance program of DSWD aims to provide disaster-affected families with environment-friendly and structurally strong housing units.
    The fund for the CSAP is provided by DSWD.
    The Mining and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in 2013, found in Can-eo tension cracks at a mountain above  houses located in Sitio Fabfey which until now pose threats to some 79 families. 
    Social Welfare Officer III Stephanie Kanongkong said construction of core shelters in the relocation site in Sitios Chagchag, Lumi, and Suyo began in 2014 after the turnover of cheques amounting to ₱5,530,000 to the Can-eo Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance.
    Meanwhile, in Barangay Dalican, a total of 180 families previously residing in Sitios Chata and Mabago were relocated to Sitios Kadattay and Ngabngab in 2017 due to the threat of erosion and land subsidence.
    A total of ₱15,920,190.00 was given to the Dalican NASA for the first 130 beneficiaries while ₱6,500,000.00 was given to the second batch with 50 beneficiaries.
    Division Chief Marifil Jugal of the DSWD who represented regional sirector Arnel Garcia said the success of the CSAP was due to coordination of national government, local government units, barangays and beneficiaries.
    “These houses are now officially yours, thus, consider it not only as a house or a structure but a home that is safer and more disaster-resilient,” she said.
    In his message in Barangay Can-eo, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey extended his  gratitude to the regional DSWD for funding the program and helping over a hundred families in the municipality.
    Odsey urged other beneficiaries who were yet to finish construction of their houses to complete it before the September 2022 deadline.
    The mayor committed an additional fund of ₱300,000 from the Bontoc LGU to be downloaded to the Can-eo NASA bank account for completion and painting of core shelters.
    “This is a historical event since our dreams of relocating the families to a safer place back in 2014 finally came to reality. This manifests that through the collective effort and cooperation of the government and the community, any project can be completed with great success,” he said.
    For the core shelter project in Can-eo, the Bontoc LGU provided toilet bowls for construction of the comfort rooms, eco-bricks purchased from senior citizens of Bontoc who came–up with livelihood project in 2015.
    It has also mobilized officials and employees as additional manpower during the delivery of construction supplies and aggregates and construction of the core shelters.
    Schools, organizations and volunteers were also tapped to provide manpower.
    Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen who represented the mayor in Dalican told beneficiaries to continue practicing the spirit of “Og-ogfo” as they continue to finish construction of remaining houses.
    The Office of the Municipal Engineer also provided the structural plan and conducted monitoring of the core shelters.
    Beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the DSWD and Bontoc LGU for funds and materials for the construction of their new homes.

 

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