ZAMBOANGA CITY, Mar. 3 (PNA) -- Mayor Ma.
Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has aggressively pursued dialogues with various groups
apart from carrying out other plans and programs aimed of making internally
displaced persons (IDPs) and the general public aware about ongoing recovery
and rehabilitation efforts in this city.
Salazar mayor recently met with the Al Muhminat
Group, an aggrupation of Muslim women who are housewives, professionals or
engaged in business, to discuss about the current plight of the IDPs in
evacuation centers and transitory sites.
Salazar together with the Zamboanga City
Roadmap to Recovery and Reconstruction (Z3R) team and other cluster heads and
representatives from various agencies discussed with the group about progress
in the implementation of the rehabilitation plan and efforts or interventions
undertaken by the local government in cooperation with the national government
to clear evacuation centers.
The mayor’s team included Councilor Myra Paz
Abubakar, City Administrator Antonio Orendain, Jr., Social Welfare Regional
Director Zenaida Arevalo, City Planning and Development Officer Rodrigo Sicat,
City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos, Recovery Cluster head Dr. Jane Bascar,
Assistant City Social Welfare Officer Leonida Bayan, Dr. Kibtiya Udding of CHO,
Executive Assistant 5 Mike Saavedra, OCHA Representative Malou Eudela and
several others.
The Al Muhminat Group, represented by Tajmahal
Aiyub as spokesman, sought clarification on IDP movement and status of the Z3R
plan citing inconveniences and other difficulties encountered at evacuation
centers.
The group said IDPs confided to them about
problems and uncertainties they are facing at evacuation centers.
Salazar said the Z3R team and the national
inter-agency team are judiciously following all required steps in the
preparation and ultimately implementation of the rehabilitation plan to ensure
that everything is in order.
The construction of the drainage systems, road
systems and the shelters can only be done once the lots or properties where
these facilities or structures will be built are cleared of all legal
impediments, she stressed.
“We need your support and we need your help.
Kung meron kayong alam na mga available lots puedeng ibenta please tell us,”
the mayor said referring to required lots for bunkhouses or temporary shelters
where IDPs can transfer while durable solutions are being undertaken.
These lots should also be free from legal
problems and that they pass the requirements on environmental protection and
preservation and other existing laws, rules and regulations.
On the other hand, Sicat and Agbulos, respectively
briefed the group about technical updates on the Z3R plan and the interventions
of the government to help improve health conditions in evacuation centers and
transitory sites.
“We all agree that decongestion of evacuation
centers is the number one solution to health problems encountered in evacuation
centers,” Agbulos said as he clarified issues concerning deaths among IDPs.
“The number is cumulative from September 10 to
February, it is not that the deaths occur in single day,” Agbulos said.
Agbulos likewise urged the Al Muhminat Group to
help the government convince the IDPs to transfer to transitory sites where the
condition would be safer and more convenient.
He also appealed to the women to help convince
IDPs to regularly seek medical attention in
health facilities available near
evacuation centers for early and timely management.
As this developed, the women’s group said they
were clarified with the explanations presentations by Salazar and the Z3R team
and vowed to help spread the information to avoid confusion among the IDPs.
Meanwhile, Salazar has
vowed to continue dialogues with all other groups to aid IDPs and all other
sectors come up with informed decisions and position pertaining to IDPs in this
city. (PNA)
JBP/TPGJR/PR/JSD
JBP/TPGJR/PR/JSD
