Gov't to craft reconstruction plan for typhoon-hit areas

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said today it will soon draft a reconstruction plan to rehabilitate areas damaged by typhoon " Haiyan," locally named "Yolanda," in central Philippines.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said NEDA has already asked various government agencies to identify their representatives to a task force which will spearhead the crafting of the reconstruction plan.

"While we appreciate the various initiatives of agencies and development partners, we need to have a well-coordinated plan so that we can make the most out of resources now being made available," Balisacan said.

He said the unified plan will serve as the basis for coordinating recovery and reconstruction efforts, including donor assistance.

The plan will also identify near- to medium-term priority projects that can be included in the budget for 2014 and for 2015 and that can be funded by either official donor assistance or the private sector.

Balisacan said he met with officials of the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank, urging them to coordinate their assistance in accordance with the plans of the Philippine government.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health said it is stepping up its vaccination efforts of people who are in evacuation centers to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

Health Secretary Enrique Ona admitted that threats of epidemics loom in communities that do not have access to safe water and which suffer from poor or inadequate sanitation.

Typhoon "Haiyan," which struck central Philippines on Nov. 8, flattened houses and killed 3,892 people. The typhoon also destroyed properties and crops worth P11.73 billion ($269.12 million).