By Ric V. Obedencio

The national government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the provincial government of Bohol and the Habitat for Humanity, is determined not only to rebuild houses but communities as well, Social Welfare Sec. Dinky Soliman said.  Soliman arrived in Tagbilaran city by plane from Manila and motored here to personally turnover the check worth PhP317.5 million to fund for rehabilitation of houses, totally or partially, damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that devastated Bohol on Oct. 15, 2013.  The program held at the damaged covered court here and attended by most of the 17 municipal mayors along with Rep. Rene Relampagos and Rep. Aris Aumentado, Charlie Ayco, Habitat for Humanity Foundation, Inc. (HHFI) executive director Charlie Ayco and other officials.

The activity includes the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for all parties concerned to do their responsibilities and duties in the rehabilitation program. Those who affixed their signatures are the governor, Ayco and the municipal mayors concerned.  Soliman said that the turnover program was held here because it is not only the epicentre of the earthquake but an epicentre of what she described as massive rebuilding of more than 8,000 houses in the entire province.  Equally important of the activity was the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the municipalities concerned represented by their respective mayors, the provincial government represented by Gov. Edgar Chatto and the HHFI as the implementer the builder of the houses.

Gov. Edgar Chatto, who led the provincial officials in accompanying Sec. Soliman, expressed thanks to the secretary, saying that P-Noy administration made true its commitment to download funds for the rehabilitation of a lot infrastructure and social concerns.  He stressed that the government won't provide funds or cash to the recipients but materials. Earlier on, the governor said that the amount will be PhP10,000 each beneficiary whose houses are partially damaged and PhP70,000 for those whose dwellings are totally destroyed.  For his part, Ayco, who once served as municipal mayor of Sevilla town, emphasized that unity is the name of the game in raising roofs of the earthquake survivor-victims.  HHFI cannot finish its job without the help of everybody, he said. The main job of the foundation is what he called “overall management.” He added that materials needed to reconstruct the houses must be sourced locally.  Soliman, who also seconded Ayco's call for unity, also stressed restructuring the houses that could withstand with the earthquake.

Under the Memorandum of Agreement, the “Core Shelter Assistance (CSA) aims to provide environment friendly, structurally strong shelter units that can withstand up to 220 kph wind velocity, earthquakes up to intensity 4 of the Richter scale and other similar natural hazards in relocation sites provided by the national or local government units as much as possible using locally available materials to revitalize local economy.”  Reps. Relampagos and Aumentado and Vice-Gov. Concepcion Lim also conveyed their thanks to the donors and to the DSWD in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of houses and other infrastructures in the aftermath of the tremor.  The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) recent meeting tackled one important matter in rebuilding the houses that need requirements. Chatto, PDRRMC chairman, reminded the municipal mayors concerned to assist their respective beneficiaries to secure the documents, such as land title or similar document, approved municipal Resolution putting aside the mayor's or building permits and clearance from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that the area where the houses are to be rebuilt is not within a danger zone or earthquake prone.

 Hotline

Sec. Soliman has given a hotline number: 0920-946-3766 in case there are complaints in the rehabilitation program.  The social welfare secretary who is fluent in Visayan said: “dili kalikayan nga dunay reklamo.”  She urged complainant to be specific and detailed so that the agency could act at once on the complaints.  The mayors who attended and signed the MOA include Cortes Mayor Roberto Tabanera, San Isidro Mayor Jacinto Naraga, Clarin Mayor Allen Piezas, Balilihan Mayor Domi Chatto, Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila, Antequera Mayor Mario Pahang, Sagbayan Mayor Ricardo Suarez, Inabanga Mayor Josephine Socorro Jumamoy, Carmen Mayor Jun Toribio, Danao Mayor Natividad Redulla-Gonzaga, Maribojoc Mayor Leoncio Evasco was represented by Vice-Mayor Fructuso Redulla, Catigbian Mayor Virgilio Lurot, Calape Mayor Junie Yu and Sevilla Mayor Dano.

 MOA

The agreement stipulates that the cost of the CSA per unit will be PhP88,000 for toally damaged house, broken down as follows: Php70,000 from the DSWD and the PhP18,000 from the Habitat may be in the form of cash, labor including volunteers, land for the project, facilities or equipment, administrative cost, communal facilities, such as day care centers and libraries, social services such as medicines missions, feeding programs.  The total cost of said amount (P88,000) per housing unit for a total of 8,083 core shelters would be PhP711,304,000, the MOA provides. DSWD shall provide funding support in the amount of PhP565,810,000 equivalent to PhP70,000 per unit to realize this program.  The first tranche of release amounted to PhP317,520,000 which was in the form of a check turnover to Habitat. The second fund release to the tune of Php248,290,000 will come next. One salient features of the 10-page agreement is the provision of the “cash-for-work.” Based and following the guidelines of the agency, “Habitat shall implement its cash-for-work program in the community, the MOA provides. The DSWD, Habitat and municipality “shall choose one (1) person from each family who will be entitled to the cash-for-work incentive.” The agency shall pay the chosen individual “75% of the daily minimum wage per day he/she was made to work in the project.”  Each party has to fulfil its responsibilities stipulated in the MOA. (RVO)