Most typhoon victims in Bantayan have yet to receive housing assistance

CEBU, Philippines - Over 100 days have passed since super typhoon Yolanda wreaked havoc in the Visayas, but majority of the over 12,000 families affected by the calamity in Bantayan town have not received housing assistance from the government and are still housed in evacuation centers.

Vice Mayor Chad Cañares of Bantayan said that the municipality had been relying on donations from both the government and private donors but still these are not enough.

“Dili g’yud nato maato tanan og tabang,” said Cañares.

The vice mayor said they still need relocation sites and livelihood assistance for the typhoon victims.

Compounding the problem is the issue of ownership of the property where the typhoon victims are supposed to rebuild their houses. The local government has allowed the affected residents to rebuild their houses 40 meters away from the shorelines. However, the lots are privately owned.

Barangay Luyongbaybay captain Epifania Pastoriza said at least four private organizations donated housing materials to the affected families since December, but as of the moment most of them have not yet started building houses.

“Gigaan na na sila hangtud Marso. Kung di gihapon sila makasugod og tarok sa ilang mga balay, bawion gyud na ang mga materials,” said Pastoriza.

Luyongbaybay is one of the two barangays in Doong, a one-kilometer boat ride from Bantayan town. Doong was among those badly hit by super typhoon Yolanda, which left 256 of the 368 households in Luyongbaybay totally damaged, while 94 partially damaged.

Reynaldo Menchavez, a former captain of Luyongbaybay, claims ownership of the property which the typhoon victims are supposed to build their new houses using the donated materials.

Menchavez reportedly stopped the residents from erecting any structure in his property. Doong is a small island, of which lot “owners” hold tax declaration as proof of their ownership of this supposed public domain.

“Ang local government na mismo ang niingon nga diha sila patarukon og mga balay pero gibabagan man silang Menchavez,” said Pastoriza.

Today, while some of the residents are still living with their relatives who still have roofs over their heads while their donated tin roofs, lumbers and plywood materials are gathering dusts somewhere. Others were forced to build houses in areas declared as ‘no build zone.’

“Dili man unta na pwede kay delikado man na kung magbagyo na ‘sab. Pero wala naman pud ni sila’y mahimo kay wala sila’y kapuy-an, posible pud barguhon na ilang mga materials,” Pastoriza said.

President Benigno Aquino, III will be in Bantayan Island today to personally see how the government rehabilitation effort is doing in the island. (FREEMAN)