A year after Yolanda: PNoy promises rehab done before he leaves

CEBU, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III has assured an 80-percent completion in the rehabilitation of typhoon-ravaged areas in the country before he leaves his office in 2016, an official of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Office said.

Undersecretary Lesley Jeanne Cordero said Aquino wanted to hasten rehabilitation despite the magnitude of the damage brought about by super typhoon Yolanda.

Last October 28, the president signed the P167.9-billion rehabilitation masterplan for areas affected by Yolanda.

The Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP) covers resettlement (P75.6 billion), infrastructure (P35.1 billion), livelihood (P33.6 billion), and social services (P26.4 billion).

Former senator Panfilo Lacson, OPARR head, submitted it to Aquino last August 1.

A Philippine STAR report quoted Aquino as asking Lacson to produce a timeline for the projects to be finished before he could sign the rehabilitation masterplan.

Cordero said the government expects full recovery of Yolanda-devastated areas in 2016.

She said the national government, through its various agencies, has already shelled out P51.9 billion, around P11 billion of which was given through the National Housing Authority for its housing projects.

A total of P80.3 billion would also be released in 2015 for the rehabilitation of the 171 affected cities and municipalities in the country while P35.8 billion was set for 2016.

As identified by the Capitol, Cebu Province requires P12.06 billion for the full rehabilitation of its 16 typhoon-affected local government units.

More than 50 percent of the amount was intended for resettlement, as there are around 22,423 households that need to be transferred as they are located within a government-set  40-meter “no dwelling zone.”

Cordero said the national government has increased the said amount to P14.5 billion.

“Not all projects that were proposed by the LGUs are taken as it is, because the national government wants to adhere to the build-back-better (principle) for the projects,” she said.

Cordero, though, said that legal impediments on land acquisition for relocation sites remain the main concern of the LGUs since some identified places are considered as within protected areas.

Cordero said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Science and Technology have been reviewing the final guidelines and would resolve the issue “as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, more than 2, 000 Yolanda survivors graduated Thursday and yesterday from the Skills Training for Livelihood Assistance program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-7.

TESDA initiated the free skills training program was for Yolanda survivors.

Separate graduation ceremonies were held in San Francisco town in Camotes island Thursday and in Bogo City and in Medellin town yesterday.

TESDA Director General Joel Villanueva, who spoke before the graduates, said he was moved by the resiliency of the Cebuanos and further urged them to remain strong and hold on their dreams.

“Patuloy tayong lumaban sa kahirapan dahil at the end of the day ‘yong spirit nating bumangon ang talagang babangon sa atin at maabot ‘yong pangarap natin,” he said.— Michael Vencynth H. Braga /RHM (FREEMAN)