Victims of tropical storm “Ondoy”, whose houses were washed away by flashfloods in 2009, received their government-funded shelters Wednesday in Dumaguete City.

The 60 housing units were built through the Core Shelter Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development with the city government of Dumaguete providing the lot in Barangay Bajumpandan.

Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova and other government officials witnessed the turnover of the houses, after the blessing and inauguration rites attended by Sheba Dabon of the DSWD 7 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Each unit costs P70,000, and the DSWD-approved design is guaranteed to withstand a storm, Dabon said.

She appealed to the beneficiaries to be careful since the roofing is made of indigenous materials that can easily catch fire although the walls are made of concrete.

Sagarbarria, meanwhile, apologized to the beneficiaries for the delay in the turnover of the houses, citing additional requirements, like electricity and water supply.

He said the city government has asked utility firms for a staggered installation of water and electricity connections since not all beneficiaries can afford to pay the one-time fee.*MA/JFP

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