BUTUAN CITY – At least 8,791 household beneficiaries in 76 far-flung villages of the four towns in the Caraga Region are now enjoying the assistance provided by the Spanish government through its Poder 5 Agencia Española Cooperacion Internacional Para El Desarollo.

The program, costing some P25.840 million, is now being implemented by the Region 13 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD 13).

The project that started on January is personally supervised by DSWD 13 Regional Director Mercedita Jabagat which consists of the establishment of school buildings, day-care centers, and rural health units.

In an interview, the region’s social welfare information officer Leah T. Quintana and focal person Raul Sabandal said the ongoing projects are located in the 24 villages of Sibagat town, and 15 villages of La Paz town, both in the province of Agusan del Sur.

While the other ongoing projects are situated in the 12 villages of Marihatag town, and 25 villages of Tagbina town, both in the province of Surigao del Sur.

“All these projects in the 76 barangays with an allocation of P340,000 each will be completed by December,” they said.

In addition, they added that a Poder 6 project extended by the same donor agency is also set to commence on the second week of August, also this year in Hinatuan town, Surigao del Sur; Sta. Josefa, in Agusan del Sur; and in the municipalities of Sta. Monica and Tubajon, both of Surigao del Norte province.

In a separate funding, the Agencia Española Cooperacion Internacional Para El Desarollo also has an ongoing P18-million Comprehensive Pilot Intervention Plan against Endanger/Violence Project in the whole Caraga Region, added Quintana.

In another development, the DSWD, along with other partner agencies of the government, is set to celebrate the weeklong National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week that will commence on Monday.

During a press conference at the DSWD Regional Conference Room here, Jabagat said NDPR is an annual celebration of the national government being spearheaded by the then National Commission Concerning Disabled Persons (NCCDP) by virtue of Proclamation No. 1870 issued in June 22, 1979 by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Jabagat said this public policy aims at paying tribute to millions of Filipinos nationwide and recognizing their valuable contributions in nation-building.

Its primary objective is to stimulate public awareness on disability problems and concerns particularly issues on disability prevention, rehabilitation and equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs), she said.

This year’s theme is “Sa Instrukturang Accessible, Lahat ay Able.”

As this developed, Jabagat lined up several activities for the weeklong celebration.