DHSUD Caraga readies shelter assistance to victims of Typhoon Tino in Dinagat Islands
By Renelle L. Escuadro
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Caraga strengthens its Integrated Disaster Shelter Assistance Program (IDSAP) to families whose houses were either lost or damaged by Typhoon Tino that hit the Province of Dinagat Islands on November 4.
In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Caraga, OIC-Regional Director Paris Raymond S. Gaballo of DHSUD Caraga said, “As the lead agency of the Shelter Cluster of the Caraga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC), we have ongoing coordination with the council and partner stakeholders for the efficient implementation of the program in areas affected by the typhoon, especially in Dinagat Islands, as the province in Caraga region with the most impact.”
IDSAP, through Department Order No. 2024-004, is a post-disaster initiative that allows DHSUD to deliver timely and sustainable shelter-related interventions to disaster-stricken communities.
“IDSAP provides assistance to families whose houses are totally or partially damaged by hazards such as typhoons, earthquakes, fire, among others,” Gaballo added.” The amount of P30,000 will be released for totally damaged houses, while P10,000 for partially damaged residences.”
In the initial report of the province’s Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis, 680 houses, both partially and totally damaged, were reported.
For the timely processing of the shelter assistance, Gaballo encouraged the Dinagatnons to immediately report to their barangay the damages to their houses together with two valid identification (IDs) so they will be included in the local government unit’s report on the list of damaged houses. “The LGU’s list of damaged houses will be forwarded by either the MSWD or the local DRRM office to DHSUD, and together with key shelter agencies, we will conduct validation,” he said.
He added that if documents are complete and the report complies with the rules of the program, shelter assistance will be released within one to three months.
For DHSUD, a house is not only a structure; it is a basic need. Through IDSAP, it fulfills its commitment to help families rebuild their homes with hope and resilience, especially with the number of disasters occurring in the country, Gaballo said. (RLE, Dinagat Islands)
