RDC committee tackles storm victims’ housing, sex concerns, cash flows

BAGUIO CITY – A committee of the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera recently met to tackle housing concerns of storm victims, sexual problems and the region and distribution of Welfare conditional cash transfer funds.

The National Housing Agency through the National Economic Development Authority announced the granting of housing assistance to victims of typhoon Pepeng in Itogon, Benguet and Tadian, Mountain Province during the 4th quarter regional social development committee meeting last Dec. 12 at the Dept. of Health Cordillera Training Center in Baguio.

NEDA-CAR presented the housing sub-committee report saying several residents of municipalities of Itogon, Benguet and Tadian, Mountain Province devastated by typhoon Pepeng years ago have yet to receive their housing benefits from NHA since their respective lands are still considered forest areas under Presidential Decree 705.

The NHA Central Office had not been able to grant the residents housing until 2018.

The NHA later provided housing to these residents due to a change in NHA policy.

Later, DOH-CAR regional director and RSDC vice-chair Amelita Pangilinan in the social development committee national-regional consultative meeting on Nov. 20-21, 2018, cited regional issues and concerns, saying CAR is exempted in the national bidding of conduits for the Unconditional Cash Transfers through Landbank.

However, the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development bared conduits will not be necessary because of the introduction of cash cards in 2019.

Pangilinan said that there was need to educate adolescents about the implication of sexual acts.

The Comprehensive Sexuality education will launch next year starting with sex education for pre-teens.

The Philippine Statistics Authority also reported in the National Demographic and Health Survey 2017, CAR had the lowest teen pregnancy rate among all regions at 4% with Davao Region highest at 18%.

Because of this, DOH reiterated the use of condoms to prevent the transfer of sexually transmitted diseases.

Members of the RSDC include the DSWD as the chair, DOH as vice chair, NEDA as the secretariat, PSA, NHA, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), National Nutrition Council among others.

These regional line agencies are in charge of ensuring the implementation of social services in the region such as health, education, housing, etc. The RSDC addresses regional issues in health, welfare, education, and housing.  -- Marlo T. Lubguban, NEDA-SPCAR