The shelter cluster of the provincial government is set to turn over more than 2,000 replacement houses to beneficiaries on October 15, as highlight of the commemoration of last year's 7.2-magnitude tremor that hit the province. Liza Quirog, shelter cluster coordinator of the provincial government, indicated in her partial accomplishment report over 2,114 core houses will be turned over to qualified earthquake survivors in 17 affected towns on October 15, the first year anniversary of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the province. At least 1,009 had been completed and 1,105 more houses are expected to be completed before October 15 by the Habitat for Humanity Foundation (HHF)

Of the batch of 1,105 ongoing construction, HHF completed 68 of the 316 in Clarin, 67 of 458 in Calape, 107 of 667 in Loon, 157 of 676 in Sagbayan, 107 of 111 in Balilihan, 11 of 13 in Corella, all of the 113 in Danao, all of the 188 in San Isidro, and all of the 226 in Cortes. The provincial government has been undertaking the core shelter program with the DSWD, the mayors of the 17 towns, the HHF and non-government organizations. Among the NGOs that had raised funds for the earthquake survivors and supported the project include the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), Diocese of Tagbilaran, Bohol Livelihood Development Foundation, IDEA Philippines, United Nations International Organization for Migration, Latter Day Saints Charities, Montana on Mission, International Federation of Red Cross and PROCESS Bohol.

The NGOs had completed the first 1,009 houses while the provincial government and DSWD through HHF, are expected to complete the 1,105 of the original target of 8,083 houses before October 15, in time for the turn-over ceremony. Quirog explained that out of the 8,083 listed as prospective beneficiaries, at least 5,609 qualified to receive the assistance. This is based on validation in the field. As of this posting, those undergoing the construction phase are for the 5,609 validated beneficiaries although the number is expected to increase to over 5,220 in a few days. As to the status of the ongoing construction of these units, they are now preparing the septic tanks while delivery of construction materials is ongoing--hollow blocks, cement, tie wires, steel bars, steel frames of the windows and accessories that are pre-cut from the source. According to Quirog, every LGU was asked to establish a grievance committee to assess those delisted.

As of now, the grievance committees had already pass over 2,438 beneficiaries in the 17 towns. Moreover, it had been found out that 2,716 had the capacity to build replacement houses on their own. In the Rebuild Better Bohol core shelter program, qualified beneficiaries are indigents classified as those earning P 10,000 or less per month. It will then be up to the beneficiaries to expand their core shelters gradually on their own. There are two other types of assistance under emergency shelter assistance, Quirog added. One is from the National Housing Authority and the DSWD and the other comprises of repair kits provided by the NGOs. The assistance from NHA was the one released immediately in November last year or at least a month after the earthquake. Of the 17 towns, it is only in Carmen and Calape that the implementation is still ongoing. In the emergency shelter assistance of DSWD, there are still towns where the distribution of emergency shelter assistance of P 10,000 for each beneficiary is still ongoing like in Clarin, Corella, Sevilla, Danao, Balilihan and Inabanga wherein the funds had just been released this year.(PNA/FPV/Angeline Valencia/jsd)