DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Oct. 7 (PIA) – The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region7 (DSWD7) Core Shelter Assistance Program has turned over 54 out of 82 housing units worth P3,780,000 at the Typhoon Sendong resettlement village in Tanjay City.

The project is in partnership with the Tanjay City government for the affected families of Typhoon Sendong which hit over 14 barangays in Tanjay City on Dec. 17, 2011.

The remaining units will be turned over after the local government unit (LGU) has extended its counterpart for the completion of the structures.

Under the memo of agreement (MOA) between DSWD and LGU Tanjay, the DSWD is responsible for the transfer of funds to the latter for the shelter units of the affected families.

The department also provided technical assistance from project development to implementation to ensure that the basic project standards are met.

“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),” said Glind Teves, 40, as she finally opened the door of her unit in the resettlement village in Brgy. Sta. Cruz Viejo.

Glind’s family was among those whose houses were totally damaged by TY Sendong.

The Teves family was among the 14 who finally got the keys to their new home after a ceremonial turnover in the resettlement village in Brgy. Sta. Cruz Viejo, Tanjay City on Sept. 8, 2022.

She described Sendong’s effect as one of the most painful days she experienced, “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 as the Teves family was again challenged when Typhoon Odette happened, as they were living near a river.

The water overflowed and reached almost two 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 one-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. I am just grateful that, although 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 one-year-old child above us as we crossed the water. I tiptoed as high as I could)," Glind said as she recalls her experience when Odette hit the province on Dec. 16, 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. Should a disaster occur, I am sure we are safe, especially those that happen in the middle of the night),” Glind said. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental with reports from DSWD)