DHSUD turns over ‘Bayanihan Village’ to displaced families in San Remigio

 CEBU -- The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), in partnership with the local government unit and other national government agencies established the “Bayanihan Village” and was turned over to local government unit of San Remigio, Cebu on October 16 with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Regional Field office 7 to take over camp management until families are prepared to transition into more permanent and safer housing.

The ‘Bayanihan Village’ in San Remigio and the family tents set up by the DSWD serve as evacuation camps for families affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake. It is an inter-agency initiative spearheaded by the DHSUD in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the Local Government Unit of San Remigio.

Through the collaborative efforts of these agencies, 45 out of 67 prefabricated modular shelter units have been installed at the New Public Market in Poblacion, San Remigio, located beside the evacuation camp earlier established by the DSWD.

The Bayanihan Village provides temporary housing for families whose homes were totally damaged by the quake or are in no-build zones, including areas above fault lines or identified sinkholes.

The DHSUD lauded the project as a milestone accomplishment, completed within a short period and marking a first-of-its-kind initiative by the agency to support disaster-stricken families.  The DSWD, in close coordination with the LGU manages temporary shelters in Northern Cebu as part of its disaster response under the CCCM Cluster.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero visited the Bayanihan Village with San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez who expressed his gratitude to all the government agencies involved in making the project possible.

“It is better to put our trust and confidence in the government agencies to aid us so that we can see efficient and effective results for our people,” Martinez said.

With the Bayanihan Village officially turned over to the LGU of San Remigio and DSWD 7 as the managing agency for camp operations, Lucero appealed to all internally displaced persons (IDPs) to maintain order and cooperation within the camp.

“We, at the DSWD ensure that these tents are decent temporary shelters for the quake-affected families here and those that are not yet included at the Bayanihan Village, we have family tents for your temporary shelters that are clean and orderly.  We appeal to all of you to follow our rules and cooperate to maintain order at the evacuation camps,” Lucero said.

The transferred families received bunk beds and electric fans from the DHSUD, in addition to two rounds of Family Food Pack provisions and one hygiene kit distributed by the DSWD in the days immediately following the earthquake. (Photos: DSWD7-FB)