New houses for Valderrama's homeless
VALDERRAMA, Antique — Farmer Leopoldo Jumillo could only watch as his house was swept by rampaging waters at the height of typhoon “Frank” nearly a year ago.
His house was among those destroyed by the flood, the worst experienced in Western Visayas, after the waters of Cangaranan river in Barangay Boroc-Boroc in this town overflowed.
For 10 months, his family has been living on a makeshift hut in the hinterland barangay.
Yesterday, Jumillo, 60, was given a new house where he, his wife and three children can relocate.
Jumillo was among the 89 families awarded certificates of occupancy by President Macapagal-Arroyo in a brief ceremony at the Valderrama Central Elementary School, around 55 km north of the capital town of San Jose.
The President, accompanied by Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral, handed out the certificates to the beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development 's Shelter Assistance Program.
The project, intended for victims of the typhoon Frank who lost their homes, amounted to a total of P4.45 million or P50,000 for each house.
“Finally, we will have peace of mind because we have a permanent house to live,” Roberto Martinez said after he received his certificate.
The President also led the awarding of cash subsidies amounting to P1.213 million to 622 families from six barangays of Valderrama under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD.
The program, implemented starting last year, aims to uplift the health, nutrition and education conditions of poor families especially children aged 0-14 years old.
The President was also accompanied by officials including Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier, Gov. Salvacion Zaldivar-Perez and Valderrama Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero.
After the program, the President met briefly with officials of Antique where she directed the fast-tracking of irrigation projects.
The President left Valderrama before noon by land to San Jose where she took a plane to Cebu.