CEBU, Philippines - Eleven-year-old Cecilia stood before the crowd during the inauguration of four renovated facilities of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 in Labangon, Cebu City yesterday.
Cecilia (not her real name) is one of the "victims of circumstances" housed at DSWD's Home for Girls facility, one of those repaired.
"Salamat kaayo sa time and effort nga gihatag namo, dili gyud ni namo makalimtan," she said, addressing her thanks and appreciation to the United States Navy Seabees.
DSWD-7 partnered with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the US Navy Seabees, whose crew renovated the Home for Girls facility and three other damaged facilities of DSWD-7.
The reconstruction of the facilities started in September, said Lieutenant Mike Sapienza, officer-in-charge of Construction Civic Action Detail Philippines under the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-4.
"We moved to different islands a lot," he shared. Their crew also worked on the construction of rooms in two schools in Toledo City and Aloguinsan town.
DSWD - 7 director Mercedita Jabagat said that during an arrangement with the US Navy Seabees, they offered to have the rehabilitation of the damaged facilities prioritized since these were damaged by the strong earthquake that shook Cebu in 2013.
The rest of the facilities renovated were the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth facility of DSWD in Argao town, the Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center and the Regional Haven facility.
With the facilities' rehabilitation, Cecilia is happy and thankful of the help being provided to them as they slowly adjust in a life away from their families.
"Salamat kaayo kaninyo mga navy officers, hinaot mahatagan mo og taas nga kinabuhi sa Ginoo aron daghan pa mo matabangan nga parehas namo," she said. – (FREEMAN)