TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) -- Over a hundred houses were officially turned over by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to families who lost their homes in calamities that devastated  the towns of Alcala and Iguig inCagayan. 

DSWD Regional Director Lucia S. Alan said 131 units were recently turned over to identified beneficiaries in this province, of which 82 units were awarded in Iguig town and 49 in Alcala. 

She said the housing projects were implemented under the core shelter assistance program of the DSWD, which aims to provide disaster-resilient houses to beneficiaries. 

"The beneficiaries were those families whose houses were assessed as totally damaged during typhoons that hit the province last year. This is our intervention for the rehabilitation and restoration of their shelters, a basic need of every humankind," Alan said. 

Alan also said the houses  could withstand up to 220 kph wind velocity and up to magnitude 4 earthquake.

"It is very important to ensure the resilience of these units because our region is in a typhoon belt, and also vulnerable to earthquakes and other types of disasters. We do not want them to suffer again when there are disasters," Alan added. 

Annabel Suldan, 32 years old mother of Alcala town, expressed her sincerest gratitude for providing shelter for her family. 

“We are very happy because we are lucky to be one of the recipients of this core shelter project of the government. We hope that this project will be sustained so that other homeless families, like us, will also benefit," Suldan cried as she accepted the ceremonial key of her housing unit.

Iguig Mayor Ferdinand Trinidad and Alcala Mayor Cristina Antonio also thanked the government for the assistance extended to their constituents.

Both promised to continue collaborating with DSWD in implementing programs that will benefit the marginalized sector in their municipalities. 

"Through this project, my fellow Alacaleños felt the presence of government assistance. This proves that the government is ready to assist our people, especially those who need help," Antonio said. 

As a component of the core shelter program, the DSWD gave P70,000 to each of the identified beneficiaries for them to construct their respective houses while the local government unit's counterpart is to provide the relocation site where the beneficiaries will start a new life as a newly established community. (OTB/PIA Region 2)