RP receives $3-million grant from ADB for poverty reduction

The Asian Development Bank extended yesterday a $3-million grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction for the victims of the landslide in Southern Leyte last February.

The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction is financed by the Japanese government.

Speaking during the ADB’s 40th anniversary celebration, President Arroyo said the bank could put up a special social fund for projects that could help uplift the lives of the Filipino poor.

"For indeed, ADB has helped pull many Filipinos out of poverty," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo thanked the ADB for the grant as well the continuous assistance of the institution to the Philippines.

ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda also expressed appreciation to the Philippines for being the ADB’s host nation.

"Because this is our home, we at ADB have a special bond with the Filipino people," he said.

Kuroda assured that the ADB would "continue to be a strong and dedicated partner, helping our developing member countries through good times and bad."

Kuroda said two-thirds of the world’s poor are living in Asia.

"We know much work still needs to be done," he said.

The $3 million grant will be used to rehabilitate and reconstruct key infrastructure facilities in Southern Leyte, where an entire barangay was buried by mudslides, along with 1,100 people.

It will also be used to help lessen the impact of future disasters by establishing a center to manage disaster response and relief.

"The Provincial Disaster Management Center will provide training and equipment for search and rescue operations, and will coordinate the activities of those trying to help victims," said Arjun Thapan, director general of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department.

"This is an important step toward saving lives during future disasters."

The landslide in Southern Leyte last February was the worst in a decade, causing more than $3 million in immediate damage.

The devastating landslides caused about 5,702 families to be evacuated or relocated, damaged about 35 kilometers of roads and caused more than 20 school buildings to be abandoned because they were located in areas susceptible to repeat landslides.

Shortly after the disaster, a group of ADB experts traveled to Southern Leyte to visit the landslide site and relocation areas, and discussed with the provincial governor and other key officials how ADB could help.

The provincial government requested grant assistance for rehabilitation and construction of key infrastructure facilities.

The Southern Leyte Landslide Disaster Assistance Project is in part a response to that request.

The project seeks to rehabilitate farm-to-market roads; upgrade the facilities and services of the provincial hospital of Southern Leyte and the Anahawan district hospital; construct an elementary school with complete facilities in hard-hit St. Bernard town; and provide additional classrooms to elementary and secondary schools in Southern Leyte.

Meanwhile, some 373 linemen from 53 electric cooperatives (ECs) comprising the Task Force Kapatid organized by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) have been deployed in the typhoon-ravaged areas in Bicol, Mindoro and Marinduque.

NEA Administrator Edita Bueno said she ordered the assessment of the most devastated provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Marinduque and Mindoro to determine the extent of damage. 

Simultaneous with the assessment was the commitment of support to Task Force Kapatid where ECs voluntarily enlisted to NEA and to the Presidential Adviser on Rural Electrification (PARE) Secretary Francisco Silva their manpower and logistics for the reconstruction  of power lines.

ECs in the five regions in Luzon and three regions in the Visayas sent in their linemen, boom trucks and other equipment to rehabilitate/reconstruct the damaged power lines.

By Dec. 8, a week after the typhoon, the full complement of Task Force Kapatid arrived and immediately worked in their assignments.

Damage to the electric distribution lines, including  several substations, hundreds of poles, transformers, among other equipment, was estimated to cost more than P390 million. 

Worst-hit is the Albay Electric Cooperative Inc. (ALECO) with P150M worth of damage; Camarines Sur Electric Cooperatives (CASURECO I, II, III and IV) with P180 million; Mindoro Oriental — P34 million;  Marinduque — P20 million and Catanduanes — P14 million.  

In the Bicol Region, all 18 towns/cities under the coverage area of ALECO were affected.

Since Dec. 10, five were already energized. while the remaining 13 are all targeted for energization by Dec. 20. — Aurea Calica, Donnabelle Gatdula, Cet Dematera