“Gaana sa among dughan karon nga naa na jud mi saktong kapuy-an, kabalhinan (Our hearts feel light now that we have a good home to live in),” were the heartfelt words that Glind B. Teves, 40 years old, of Tanjay City, Negros Oriental expressed as she finally opens the door of her unit in the resettlement village in Brgy. Sta. Cruz Viejo on September 8, 2022.
Glind’s family was among those whose houses were totally damaged by Typhoon Sendong after a flash flood raged over 14 barangays in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental on December 17, 2011.
She described Sendong’s effect as one of the most painful days she underwent, “sobra ka sakit nga wa ko gadahum nga mao to ang mahitabo sa among napundar na balay (it was so painful, I did not expect it would happen to our house).”
The trial did not stop there. The Teves family was again challenged when Typhoon Odette happened, as they were living near a river. The water overflowed and reached almost 2 meters above the ground.
“Ang among experience ato nga time wa mi gadahum ang tubig lapaw na namo, maayo gani nalipay ko akong mga anak kabalo manglangoy ako ra juy dili pero nakaingon gyud ko nga murag milagro to naabot sa among kinabuhi. Bulahan gyud nang nitoo tag Ginoo kay saksi akong bana, akong anak nga walay pay 1-year-old, amo syang giisa para lang jud makalabang mi nya ako nagkinto-kinto na jud ko pag-ayo (Our experience, at that time, was that we did not expect the water to rise beyond us. I am just grateful that, though I do not know how to swim, my children can. All I can say is that it is a miracle. Indeed, blessed are those who believe in God because my husband can attest that we raised our almost 1-year-old child to cross the water, I tiptoed as high as I could),” Glind said as she recalls her experience when Odette hit Negros Oriental on December 16, 2022.
The Teves family was among the 14 who finally got the keys to their new home after a simple ceremonial turnover in the resettlement village in Brgy. Sta. Cruz Viejo on September 8, 2022. It was built under the DSWD Core Shelter Assistance Program in partnership with the local government unit of Tanjay City.
They will join 40 other families already living in the area whose homes were turned over in 2022 and 2021.
“Lipay mi nga naapil na karon kay para kung naay maabot nga trahedya, safe na mi labi na kanang mahitabo sa dis oras sa gabii (We are happy that we are now a beneficiary. When a tragedy occurs, I am sure we are safe, especially those that happen in the middle of the night),” Glind happily said.
In total, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 7 has successfully turned over 54 out of 82 units, amounting to a total of PHP 3,780,000.00 in assistance.
The remaining units are still waiting for the LGU’s counterpart to complete the structure.
Under the MOA between DSWD and LGU Tanjay, the Department is responsible for the transferring of funds to the latter for the shelter units of the affected families; providing technical assistance from project development to implementation to ensure that the basic project standards are met; monitoring the status of the project as well as the utilization of funds; attending to regular consultation and coordination activities; requiring the submission of quarterly financial and status reports, among others. ###
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