MMDA, 16 Metro Manila cities to adopt towns in Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Wednesday said that the 16 cities in the metropolis will help towns in eastern Visayas battered by supertyphoon Yolanda under the adopt-a-town scheme.

MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said the Metro Manila Council, the policy making body of the agency, approved the following list of localities battered by typhoon Yolanda and their sponsoring Metro Manila local government units:

·        Quezon City -  Palampon, Tolosa, Sante Fe in Leyte
·        Pasig City-         Mayorga, Palo, Barotac Viejo and Nuevo and Dumangas in Iloilo
·        Mandaluyong City – Isabel and Tanauan, Leyte
·        Marikina City – Hernani and Lorente, Eastern Samar
·        San Juan -        Ormoc City and Albuera, Leyte
·        Taguig City -  Gen. McArthur, Guiuan, Salcedo, Mercedes, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar
·        Las Pinas City – Julita and Dulag, Leyte
·        Caloocan City – Abayog, Mc Arthur, La Paz in Leyte
·        Malabon City – Bogo, Cebu
·        Navotas City – Lawaan and Giporlos, Eastern Samar
·        Valenzuela City – Basey and Marabut in Western Samar
·       Parañaque City – Maydolong and Balanginga, Eastern Samar
·        Pasay City – Barauen, Tabon-Tabon, Dagami in Leyte
·        Muntinlipa City – Alang-Alang and Jaro in Leyte
·        Manila – Balangkayan and Taft in Eastern Samar
·        Makati City – Carigara, Leyte; and

Meanwhile, the MMDA will be adopting  Coron town of Palawan and Sulat, Eastern Samar.

The adopt-a-town scheme was formally agreed upon by the MMC in an emergency meeting last week. MMC is composed of the 17 mayors of the National Capital Region.

Under the MMC resolution, each Metro Manila LGU would adopt at least two worst-hit localities and help them in the post-recovery operations.

Tolentino said the Metro Manila LGUs will help their adopted localities in a period of one year to help them recover from typhoon Yolanda’s devastation.

"(Mandaluyong) Mayor Benhur Abalos even pledged to repair the damaged municipal hall of Tanauan. We are thankful to the mayors for their all-out support to this project," he added.

Tolentino, who has personally supervised the MMDA’s relief and clearing operations in Tacloban City, said more aid are on their way to the municipalities ravaged by the typhoon.

Navotas, he said, donated 5,000 packs of relief items to Lawaan, Eastern Samar and sent its 31 personnel to help in the rehabilitation efforts.

"A team of engineers, planners, and relief operation personnel based in Cebu is now ready for immediate deployment to Tanauan and Isabel in Leyte," Tolentino added.

MMDA and the MMC agreed to implement the adopt-a-town program to hasten the recovery of typhoon-devastated localities in the Visayas region.

Tolentino said the Metro Manila mayors can help restore normalcy in damaged towns and cities, particularly in Leyte and Samar, which bore the brunt of the typhoon.