Bohol to start rehab plan by end October

CEBU, Philippines - While Bohol is still on the relief phase for this month, the earthquake-stricken province plans to start rehabilitation by the end of October.

This was shared by Governor Edgar Chatto saying that the government will work first on the shelter needs of the townspeople who were badly affected during the quake.

They intend to build a temporary short-term housing facility to replace tents, he said.

He said that the provision of decent houses to those who have been affected will help regain their confidence after the calamity.

“The sooner the houses will be inspected and assessed, the sooner these will be rebuilt, the sooner the confidence of the people will be strongly supported,” he said.

Chatto added that the housing programs and loan assistance programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the National Housing Authority will also provide assistance to the indigent people who cannot afford to build their own houses.

He said that they will also gather all engineers to start working on government buildings, classrooms and commercial establishments.

He also said that all the bridges and roads will be repaired within a month and will be targeted to be completely operational for the normal movement of goods and services by November 20.

He cited, however, that those bridges that will be totally replaced will be reconstructed for a longer period of time.

For now, the provincial government has provided temporary alternate routes.

Other priorities of the government that Chatto cited include the rehabilitation of infrastructure, heritage churches, hospitals, public markets and other structures in the province.

As of October 26, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the number of fatalities has increased to 206 which includes 192 people in Bohol, 13 in Cebu and one in Siquijor.

Around 640 people are reportedly injured and eight persons are still missing on the 12th day after the deadly quake struck. It also affected over three million people and damaged public structures that are worth more than a billion pesos.

Hardest-hit towns cited in Bohol are Loon, Maribojoc, Antequera, Sagbayan, Catigbian, Tubigon, and San Isidro.

Chatto also appealed to the public to offer prayers for Bohol with the aftershocks continuing to rock the province.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has recorded over 2,000 aftershocks after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake jolted the Central Visayas last week which was strongly felt in the provinces of Bohol and Cebu. — (FREEMAN)