I. Program Overview

The DSWD began its shelter assistance project in the late 1970’s thru the provision of Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) to repair partially damaged houses of family victims of disaster. Shelter assistance is meant to assist family victims of disaster to acquire decent shelters. It is made available to family-victims whose houses were totally or partially destroyed by either natural or manmade disasters.

In 1987, super typhoon “Sisang” which struck the country left 200,000 families homeless. The devastation prompted the Philippine government thru the DSWD to initiate a program of providing typhoon resistant low cost housing which the people and affected families could build themselves using low cost materials.

Thus, in 1988, AO 76 known as “Implementing Guidelines for Core Shelter Assistance Pilot Project for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Typhoon “Sisang” and other Disasters” was formulated to implement the Core Shelter Assistance Project (CSAP) which was later amended thru AO 101 series of 1989 known as “Implementing Guidelines for Core Shelter Project (CSAP). The guideline not only provided the structural requirement of the core shelter but also laid down the different components for its implementation such as social preparation and financial assistance, among others.

In 1991, the DSWD Core Shelter Design won the World Habitat Award in London considering its strong environmentally friendly structural design. The World Habitat Award, is an award giving body whose main advocacy is on hazard resistant shelter designs. ‘

In 2000, the “all-out war” declared by the government against the MILF rebels in Regions XI, XII and ARMM rendered close to ten thousand (10,000) homeless families. Distinct from the CSAP design, the DSWD provided limited financial or material assistance for the construction of housing units using locally purchased housing materials, giving consideration to their cultural designs and with participation of the beneficiaries thru the “Bayanihan scheme”.

II. Projects/Services/Activities/Modalities

The Shelter Assistance Project shall have the following Components:

  1. Social Preparation – This component aims to provide or raised the awareness of the beneficiaries on what are their situations, why there is a need of this project, solicit the form of participation they can provide and the significance of their participation.
    1. A composite team composed of the C/MSWDOs, DSWD- SWAD, PNP or local NGO (If available) shall validate the circumstances of intended beneficiaries; certify their eligibility for shelter assistance final listing endorsed by the barangay.
    2. The C/MSWDOs shall ensure that all qualified beneficiaries are provided with “Disaster Family Access Card.”
    3. The C/MSWDOs shall conduct social preparation activities to the beneficiaries, community, LGUs and NGOs. The final list of beneficiaries shall be made by the DSWD Field Office per validation conducted by the composite team.
    4. To strengthen community organization and encourage building a community, the C/MSWDOs shall organize the beneficiaries into a Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance (NASA) with a maximum of 30 members. They shall elect their officers such as the President, and Treasurer among others;
    5. The financial grants released to the beneficiaries shall be deposited in a bank Account under the name of the NASA Organization the signatories of which shall be the NASA President and the Treasurer, the Municipal Social Welfare Officer and any of the DSWD SWAD Team members. (Applicable to DSWD Field Offices with SWAD Teams).
      • The NASA shall organize a committee in charge of the canvassing, marketing, purchasing of construction materials and monitoring of the shelter construction.
      • The beneficiaries shall undertake a contract with the DSWD and the LGUs that the former shall not sell, rent out or mortgage the house and shall provide labor for the construction of their house (applicable for shelter assistance and core assistance only)
  2. Food I Cash-for-Work Assistance – The provision of food or cash grants to disaster victims / displaced persons in exchange for their services or involvement in undertaking restoration and rehabilitation activities.
    1. Food or cash assistance to support the needs of the beneficiaries and their families through Food/Cash-for-Work (F/CFW) scheme at the rate of 75 % of the daily regional wage, worth of either cash or food/family/day for a maximum period of 10 days with 25 % as beneficiary equity. However, the rate per day shall only be given to families who work for at least 8 hours /day.
    2. The F/CFW assistance shall be given to all beneficiaries of ESA / MSA / CSA organized into NASA with maximum of 30 members as food or cash support for a maximum period of 10 days while participating in the community activities such as cleaning of drainage, repair of community facilities, houses and construction of Shelter through a “Bayanihan Scheme”. Only one (1) member per family can benefit or avail the C/ FFW assistance.
  3. Technical Assistance in Housing Construction – This refers to the conduct of orientation, demonstration, assistance and supervision to the beneficiaries and the LGUs in the implementation of the shelter units in conformity with the approved shelter plan and specification.
    Technical assistance shall be done by DSWD Engineer (CO or Field Office) who will orient, demonstrate to the Provincial/City/Municipal Engineer, Foreman or skilled worker and beneficiaries, in the construction of core shelter model house to ensure compliance of the standard shelter design.
  4. Financial Assistance – The provision of limited cash grants to cover the cost of housing materials to address the basic housing needs of the families with damaged houses due to disasters.
    The DSWD shelter or core shelter assistance grant amount shall be determined by the Secretary based on consultation with appropriate internal and external stakeholders and shall be adjusted from time to time depending on the prevailing cost of the construction materials.

3 Types of Financial Assistance Delivery Scheme

  1. Neighborhood Association for Shelter Assistance
  2. Partnership with Private Sectors, NGOs and GAs in coordination with LGUs
  3. Funds to the LGUs

III. Target Beneficiaries

General Qualifications:

  1. Families whose house have been totally destroyed by a man-made or natural disaster
  2.  Not a recipient of any other housing assistance from any other individual groups or agency government or non-government for the disaster in question.
  3. Families included in the LGU master list based on the issued DSWD Disaster Assistance family Access Card (DAFAC)

IV. Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility for the assistance is based from a set of criteria wherein the assessment and recommendation of the City / Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (G/MSWDOs) following a set of criteria provided by DSWD through this guideline and validated by the DSWD Field Offices. Prioritization is determined based on criteria indicated in this guideline in consideration of-the funds available for the purpose.

A. Beneficiaries:

  1. Family is not a recipient of any other housing assistance from any other individual groups or agency government or non-government for the disaster in question.
  2. Monthly income of a family of 6 should be below the food threshold that is P10, 936.00 in urban areas and P9, 767.00 in rural areas based on the NSCB poverty statistic report dated March 2, 2007. The family monthly income rate shall be adjusted from time to time depending on the food threshold rate report of the NSCB.
  3. House should have been totally destroyed by a man-made or natural disaster; and limited resources prevents the family from repairing or reconstructing their permanent shelter units such that they continue to live with relatives or friends in evacuation centers, or in other makeshift shelters.
  4. Possession of a guarantee of ownership or permanent or long term occupancy of at least 10 years on the lot on which to build the permanent shelter unit.
  5. If resources warrants, vulnerable families residing in high risk areas maybe provided or may avail of shelter assistance as part of mitigation measures.
    The following shall be considered priority for assistance indicated;
    • Families with small children.
    • Families with pregnant and lactating mothers.
    • Surrogate parents of orphaned children living in evacuation centers who are equally situated e.g. with totally damaged shelter units.
    • Families with damaged houses whose head of household died or were incapacitated as a result of the disaster.
    • Priority will be given to beneficiaries who meet the geographical clustering requirement in a specific barangay with at least 5 beneficiaries living in proximity with each other to promote collective actions in realizing goals of the project and easy delivery of housing materials.
    • Families with seriously ill members or persons with disabilities or with special needs. (Persons are considered with special needs if they have physical, developmental, mental, sensory, behavioral, cognitive or emotional impairment or limiting conditions that require medical management, health care interventions, and /or use of specialized services or programs).

B. Areas

The area where the house will be built is not prone to hazards and certified as a safe area by DENR- Mines and Geo-Science Bureau (MGB), DOSTsPHILVOCS/PAGASA;

  1. Area should have access to transportation.
  2. A minimum of 60 sq. meter home lot / shelter unit shall be allotted in the resettlement areas and space for path walks and other community facilities shall be provided.

V. Documentary Requirements

Requirements for LGUs Requesting for Shelter Assistance

  1. Disaster Terminal Report Contents:
    • Brief situationer (covering from time of disaster to date of report)
    • Nature and date of occurrence
    • Areas and population affected
    • Damage to the population and community
    • Services extended – by whom / where / when
    • Brief description of strategies used, strength and weaknesses of the operation, actions taken and recommendation for future action.
  2. Rehabilitation Plan for the affected families/communities;
  3. Project Proposal describing the rehabilitation project and specific counter-part of LGUs and time line for shelter implementation;
  4. Copy of notarized deed of donation / documents attesting the availability of sites / lot for shelter project (applicable for MSA/ CSAP).
  5. Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Resolution approving / endorsing the proposed housing project.
  6. Certification from the LGUs Treasurer on the availability of calamity fund to be use as a counter-part for the rehabilitation project, (applicable for MSA/CSAP)
  7. Master list of the proposed beneficiaries based on the family access cards with individual picture of the family heads prepared by the C/ MSWDOs and certified by the C/ Municipal Shelter Committee;
  8. Certification issued by DENR – Mines and Geo-Science Bureau (MGB), DOSTs PHILVOCS/PAG-ASA
  9. Formal endorsement of the Field Office or DSWD-ARMM for ARMM areas

VI. Contact Person/s

MARICEL S. CALEJA
Social Welfare Officer IV / Chief, Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD)
(072) 687-8000 local 208
drmd.fo1@gmail.com

SHERYLL BRINGAS
Social Welfare Officer II / Head, Head, Disaster Response and Rehabilitation Section
(072) 687-8000 local 208
drmd.fo1@dswd.gov.ph

VII. Links

  1. DSWD Administrative Order 76, Series of 1988 – Implementing Guidelines for Core Shelter Assistance Pilot Project for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Typhoon Sisang and other Disasters.
  2. DSWD Administrative Order 101, Series of 1989 – Amendment to Administrative Order Number 76, Series of 1988 – Implementing Guidelines for Core Shelter
  3. Republic Act 8185 – Amends section 324 of the Local Government Code, authorizing the local government units to declare state of calamity and use of 5% of its budget for disaster management.
  4. Republic Act (RA) 7160 – The Local Government Code of 1991 is supportive of the goals and objectives of the disaster preparedness, prevention and mitigation programs. The law strengthens local autonomy through devolution of the basic services functions of the national agencies to the local government units.