89 Tabuk families receive core shelters

February 26, 2022 Provincial

Eighty-nine families in Tabuk, Kalinga most of them lost their homes due to a typhoon in 2015 received their core shelter from the local government unit and the Department of Social Welfare and Development Tuesday.
Kalinga Gov. Ferdinand Tubban, Tabuk Mayor Darwin Estrañero and DSWD CAR Assistant Regional Director (ARD) for Operations Amelyn
Cabrera led the awarding of certificates of occupancy to the beneficiaries in sitio Hilltop in Barangay Lanna, one of the four sites of the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) in Tabuk.
Most of the beneficiary families lost their homes during the height of typhoon Lando in 2015 but some informal settlers who have no means of putting up their own homes were included in the list, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said.
Of these beneficiaries, 52 come from Lanna, five in Calanan and 11 in Balong. In her message, Cabrera said the CSAP demonstrates the essence of ‘bayanihan’, emphasizing that the housing the program was made possible through the concerted effort and contributions of Tabuk officials, different government agencies, and the beneficiaries themselves.
CSWDO head Susana Daluping said the CSAP was implemented during the term of then-mayor and now governor, Tubban. The housing project in Lanna is on a 2.5-hectare lot which was donated during the term of former barangay captain Lester Lee Tarnate.
The lot, meanwhile, in Agbannawag was shared by Gawad Kalinga, while the lot used in Balong was a portion of the city government’s Agro
Food Center. The DSWD-CAR shelled out PhP130,000 per unit for construction materials.
When Estrañero assumed office, an additional PhP15,000 was given to each beneficiary for plastering and finishing their houses, Daluping said.
The beneficiaries then organized into the Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance (NASA) and helped each other construct the houses.
Estranero noted that the houses need more improvement and committed another PhP1.5 million for plastering while assuring that PhP2.5 million worth of water system project at sitio Hilltop to assure potable water to the 89 households.
“Pagtitinnulungan tayo nu anya pay ti masapul yu dituy (We will share efforts in providing what you need here),” the mayor said. Tubban, Estranero and Cabrera also urged the beneficiaries to get along and work together to continue improving their communities.
“Ipagpatuloy niyo ang pag-unlad ng inyong barangay. Suportado kayo ng iba’t-ibang ahensya ng gobyerno (Contniue to help improving your barangay. The different government agencies will be behind you),” ARD Cabrera said.
NASA president Marvin Banao expressed the gratitude of the beneficiaries. “Agyaman kami ta napagasatan kami nga naikkan ti pabahay (We are very thankful that we are lucky and are given our own homes),” Banao said.
Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, employees of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and CSWDO, and other guests were witness to the turn-over ceremony.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN