Gov. Edgar Chatto led capitol workers in launching the House Build Volunteerism in Cortes as a fitting climax of the month-long Sandugo festivities showcasing Boholano resilience. While the annual festival is of historical value, the shelter event proved hat Boholanos had not lost sight of this year's whole-July celebration as an active emphasis of solidarity towards full rehabilitation. The governor himself helped install wall bamboo slats in the sweat mission that reinforced the continuing government collaboration with the Habitat for Humanity in core shelter recovery. The Department of Social Welfare and Development is the major national agency engaged in the shelter component of Bohol's comprehensive rehabilitation program.

The launching in Cortes on Tuesday, July 30, has opened volunteerism to all other government agencies and private groups for succeeding bayanihan works in other areas of the province crushed by the earthquake. The provincial government can arrange House Build schedules that are convenient to them in recovery sites of their choice. Capitol offices and cluster of units each allotted 10 employee-volunteers who were assigned to beneficiary families in barangays Poblacion, Malayo Norte and Sur, and San Roque, all in Cortes. Although not run by the provincial government, the Bohol District Jail under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology also sent a complete team of 10 personnel. Twenty-two volunteer groups provided their own working outfits andtools for cutting of tie wire, sigkat(installation of bamboo slats), septic tank excavation, flooring, etcetera.

Each team worked on a single housing unit from early morning until noon and then moved out of their areas and converged at Malayo Norte barangay hall for a luncheon thanksgiving ceremony. “Having volunteered and helped rebuild homes not just gave a feeling of personal fulfillment. The shelter mission was a great fun of gathering,” said Eric Galan, a House Build volunteer from the Local Government Affairs (LGA) unit of the governor's office. Volunteers from different government agencies, private sector, groups or associations for succeeding House Build events are encouraged to contactVince Delector of Habitat, 09178032878; Mimi Alidon of the provincial government, 0922 8712994; or DedenBustrillos of DSWD, 09195818144. They can also inquire by logging on to www.facebook.com/riseup.bohol , which is the official facebook page of the Provincial Relief Operation Center and Provincial Shelter Program Support Unit.

Chatto said “rebuilding is not solely about material form. It is essentially about lives, the state of human well-being and how we act to fully achieve it for the displaced and lost.” Although there yet seems to be a tall order in other areas of rehabilitation, Bohol recovery by core shelter intervention takes a self-imposed timetable for a major turnoverin the first anniversary of the infamous earthquake on October 15. (VenreboArigo)