TACLOBAN
CITY, Nov. 8 (PNA) – Survivors in coastal communities badly hit by
In
the past two years, single mother Marilyn Singh, 51, and her children and
grandchildren have been staying in a bunkhouse. She commended the President for
giving attention to them.
“I
agree with Duterte. Why delay the housing projects if funds have already been
available?” she asked.
Lucia
Etolle, 61, shares a room with 10 other family members in the same bunkhouse
made out of coconut lumber and plywood.
She
lauded the Chief Executive for being apologetic to the plight of survivors, who
are compelled to stay in low lying coastal communities and makeshift houses.
“Suffering
for nearly three years is too much. We really want to move to a new house with
own toilet, stable water supply, and electricity,” said Etolle, who earns
meager income from tailoring.
Weeks
after super typhoon hit central Philippines, the government built bunkhouses
for displaced families. Each unit is divided into 24 rooms for each family. The
room measures 8.64 square meters — roughly the size of two Ping-Pong tables.
The
two mothers are among the 50 families still living in bunkhouses built in a
government-owned lot in the city’s Kalipayan village.
These
families are scheduled for transfer to housing projects in the northern part of
the city funded by an international non-government organization.
In
San Roque village, Tanauan, Leyte several families opted to stay in makeshift
houses built near the shoreline even after the turnover of permanent housing
units to them.
“Living
here is more convenient. It’s closer to the sea where we earn about Php 300
daily from fishing. What’s the point of having a new home if we have nothing to
eat?” asked Yiyi Quista, 44, a mother of five.
“With
the President’s order, I am positive that concerned government agencies will
address the livelihood aspect of relocation,” she added.
During
the 3rd Yolanda anniversary on Tuesday, Duterte asked concern agencies to fast
track the assistance to survivors, especially housing-related concerns.
“I am
not satisfied. In three years only few families were transferred to their
permanent houses. The national offices, the respective departments, they’re
only given one month to process the paper and it must be out,” the President
said.
On
Tuesday, thousands of Yolanda survivors converged in town plazas and mass grave
sites to celebrate resilience and remember those who perished when the super
typhoon battered central Philippines three years ago. (PNA) RMA/SQM/Ana Rose
Cinco, Jushua Marga & Aldwin John Cadayong (OJTs)
