For Sendong victims in Negros Or. more houses up for construction

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – An additional 92 families who were displaced by tropical storm Sendong in December 17, last year have something to look forward to next year once the Roman Catholic Church and the city government will embark on the second phase of a joint project to provide the victims with low cost houses.

The city government however stands to lose the financial assistance from the Church in the event of delays in the procurement of land for the other Sendong victims, said Cynthia Perez, finance officer of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA).

The additional 92 housing units form part of the total 150 emergency shelters that were promised by the CBCP-NASSA to the city government if the latter paid for the lot as its counterpart, as stipulated in a memorandum of agreement signed early this year.

The first 58 housing units in the Caritas Village Shelter project were completed last month at a 500-hectare lot provided by the city government in the outskirts village of Bajumpandan.

On the first anniversary of Sendong last Monday, the city government and officials from the Diocese of Dumaguete-Social Action Center and CBCP-NASSA broke ground for the 2nd phase project site also in Bajumpandan but at a different sub-village.

Perez expressed hope that the city government will act fast in acquiring the lot as NASSA is now weighing the needs as to which areas would be given priority in funding requirements after super typhoon Pablo slammed the southern and central Philippines early this month.

“What is crucial now is how fast the city government can acquire at least one hectare for the 2nd phase of the project,” said Perez, adding that the land that is for sale is around four hectares and is covered still by a mother title.

What the Church needs is just one hectare for the additional housing units for the other Sendong victims, Perez said. “We are in a very stiff position today as we are faced again with another disaster in other parts of the country,” she said, referring to Pablo that left hundreds dead and thousands displaced in Mindanao.

Pablo victims are awaiting emergency shelters and NASSA will have to weigh which areas need more assistance than the others,” said Perez.

Perez said NASSA hoped the successful first phase of the project will be copied next year as she attributed its success not just to the Church, the LGU and the people behind, and to God as well. “It was a year of inspiring moments and concrete examples of how God works within us,” she added. —(FREEMAN)