TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Fifty-eight housing units under the Core Shelter Assistance Program (CSAP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in barangay Balong were formally turned over to the beneficiaries on January 31.
DSWD Regional Director Janet Armas had explained that families coming from six barangays in the city have already been occupying the housing units since 2014 but the Certificates of Occupancy were awarded just now.
She said that her office had assessed the over-all condition of the housing project before the awarding.
Armas disclosed that each family was given P70,000.00 worth of construction materials to build their units.
The housing project occupies 3,000 square meters of the one hectare portion of the LGU reservation in barangay Balong which has been donated by the LGU as its counterpart to the CSAP.
Apart from this, the city government also granted P25,000.00 per housing unit to facilitate construction of the same.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Susana Daluping said that the 58 beneficiary families were among those whose houses were totally damaged by typhoon Juan in 2010.
According to Engr. Bernard Pimentel of the CSWDO, the floor area of the houses is 20 square meters and the lot of each beneficiary 80 square meters.
Pimentel clarified that the title to the housing units are in the name of the city government which means neither lot nor house could be mortgaged or sold until DSWD gives the beneficiaries legal ownership.
Mayor Ferdinand Tubban expressed his gratitude to DSWD for the assistance and urged the beneficiaries to take care of the assistance by strengthening their relationship with one another and actively participating in all activities set in their new community.
Merliza Maddugay, president of the Pumiyaan Village, the association of the beneficiaries, said that they have formulated certain policies to attain and maintain orderliness in the community.
She told this reporter there are penalties for non-appearance in regular meetings, for public disturbance, stealing, vandalism, gambling and “tsismis” or gossiping.
Maduggay also said that the village is enforcing a total liquor ban and that they collect a minimum of P20.00 contribution from each household as mortuary assistance.**By Darwin S. Serion/City Information Office
