Supreme Court E-Library
Information At Your Fingertips

  View printer friendly version

 

I
Introduction

When a disaster causes such a massive and sustained displacement of the affected population the usual evacuation centers prove inadequate and the need to address the temporary shelter needs of the families arises. This has been the case for those affected by the July 16th Earthquake. To address this need the agencies under the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) launched Project Silungan. One component of Project Silungan is the construction of Evacuation Centers in hard-hit cities and municipalities by the National Housing Authority.

II
Agency Responsibilities

The Evacuation Center component of Project Silungan is a joint effort of NHA and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The responsibilities corresponding to each Agency are as follows:

A. National Housing Authority — (1) Coordination with DSWD in identifying areas where Evacuation Centers are needed based on the number of families with totally damaged homes in need of temporary shelter assistance.

2. The identification of Evacuation Center sites in coordination with Local Government Units;

3. Mobilization of resources and supervision of actual construction of Evacuation Centers. Turns over the completed Evacuation Center sites to DSWD.

B. Department of Social Welfare and Development — (1) Identifies families whose homes have been totally damaged and are in need of temporary shelter assistance in the proposed Evacuation Centers in the interim that the Core Shelter Assistance is being processed.

2. Coordinates with the National Housing Authority to determine the sites and the size of the Evacuation Center that will be constructed on these sites based on the need.

3. Upon turnover of constructed Evacuation Centers by NHA issues occupancy permits to families who were previously assessed to meet the established eligibility requirements.

4. Ensures that the beneficiary families are socially prepared to avail of the temporary shelter assistance provided in the Evacuation Centers in the short run at the same time that they are adequately motivated to eventually complete the construction of structurally strong permanent houses.

5. Organizes the families in Evaculation Centers to ensure their capability to perform the communal tasks required for the orderly operation of these centers according to acceptable hygienic and sanitation standards.

III
Objectives

The general objective of Project Silungan is to provide temporary shelter assistance to families affected by the July 16th Earthquake in the interim that the provision of a more permanent dwelling is in process. The specific objective is to provide temporary shelter through the construction of Evacuation Centers in cities and municipalities that have been hardest hit by the earthquake. Basic Features of the Evacuation Centers (Bunkhouses):

a. They can have a maximum of six modules where each module will house 100 families;

b. Each family will be provided with individual living quarters of 2.4 x 3.6 meters;

c. Each Evacuation Center will have the following facilities:

- Communal facilities for cooking, washing and toilets;

- Service areas for laundry & drying;

- Multi-purpose open area.

IV
Eligibility Requirements

The earthquake victims eligible to live in these Evacuation Centers are the following:

1. Families whose monthly income is below the food threshold of P1,400 for a family of six in urban centers or P1,200 in rural areas.

2. Those whose houses were totally destroyed by the earthquake. Totally destroyed houses are those houses which are not livable either because they are completely missing or completely destroyed although some materials can still be salvaged from the site.

3. These families may not receive any shelter assistance from any of the existing housing agencies such as GSIS, SSS, Pag-ibig, National Housing Mortgage and Finance Corporation, etc. nor have they received any shelter assistance from any NGO in connection with the July 16th Earthquake.

4. Those families who are willing to execute an agreement that they will vacate the Evacuation Center as soon as their permanent housing requirements have been met.

V
Implementing Guidelines

The following activities should have been undertaken by the direct service worker concerned:

1. Prepare in coordination with the Municipal Relief and Rehabilitation Committee a masterlist of families whose houses were totally destroyed and who are still in the evacuation centers or staying with relatives. This masterlist should include:

- Name of family head;
- Number of dependents;
- Address;
- Family Income
- Occupation

2. Prepare a brief case study to assess and validate the housing need of each family whose house was damaged and where indicated take the following action:

2.1	Family whose house is validated to be totally damaged should be assisted to seek temporary shelter among relatives or friends.
2.2	Identify families according to urgency for temporary shelter needs. These are the families who can avail of the Evacuation Centers (bunkhouses) under the Silungan Project.
	2.2.1 Coordinate with NHA on the number of families that can be accommodated in the proposed Evacuation Center (bunkhouses). Before issuing Occupancy Permits the family should be properly oriented on rules and conditions of occupancy and be requested to execute an Occupancy Agreement. Through this Occupancy Agreement they should agree: — (a) To occupy with their family the space provided for them and not to sell their right; b. To strive to achieve harmonious social relationship by refraining from gambling and drinking in the premises of the Evacuation Center; c. To follow health and sanitation practises to ensure hygienic conditions; d. To collaborate in building own core shelter/or own house. 2.2.3 Process issuance of Occupancy Permits to families who meet the eligibility requirements to stay in Evacuation Centers (bunk houses). Occupancy Permits should be properly supported by the case study indicated above for approval of the Supervising Social Welfare Officer in consultation with the Municipal Relief and Rehabilitation Committee. 2.2.4 Once approved these Occupancy Permits can be issued to families who will now be entitled to stay in Evacuation Centers (bunkhouses) as soon as NHA has turned them over to DSWD for occupancy. 2.2.5 Motivate the families in Evacuation Centers to organize the communal tasks that will ensure the orderly operation of these centers: — (a) Families should be organized to assist in any projects introduced in the Silungan i.e. be organized to take care of supplemental feeding of under-nourished children, day care service, etc. b. Cleaning brigades should be organized to ensure the maintenance of hygienic and sanitary conditions in these Evacuation Centers.
2.3	Since Evacuation Centers (bunkhouses) are staging areas for Core Shelter Assistance families should be now assessed for eligibility to Core Shelter Assistance: 2.3.1 Initiate the processing of Core Shelter Assistance for those families whose houses have been assessed to be totally damaged. 2.3.2 Families who will belong to the same Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance (NASA) should be identified so that this can be taken into account in the room arrangement of Evacuation Centers. This will facilitate the work of organizing the NASA. 2.3.3 Progress on the processing of Core Shelter Assistance should be noted as Progress Notes on the TSA Case Study on a periodic basis.

3. Assess and validate livelihood needs of families in order to determine those who will require rehabilitation through the Self Employment Assistance.

4. The Supervising Social Welfare Officer shall submit to the PSWO for submission the Central Office the final list of families, by family head, living in the Evacuation Centers. This should be supported by the duly accomplished Occupancy Permits.

Adopted: 2 Aug. 1990

(Sgd.) MITA PARDO DE TAVERA, M.D.
Secretary