Bayanihan spirit key to rebuilding Visayas – Ping

MANILA, Philippines - Former senator Panfilo Lacson, presidential assistant for rehabilitation and recovery,  said he is counting on the bayanihan spirit as the key in rebuilding areas in the Visayas region ravaged by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

“I just want to prove the bayanihan spirit of Filipinos is still alive,” Lacson said.

Lacson said his first visit to the typhoon devastated areas is meant to enable him to personally assess the extent of the damage.

Lacson had talked with some of the mayors, who are all willing to work with him in rebuilding and rehabilitating the Yolanda-ravaged areas.

He said the bayanihan spirit in indicated in the response of the business sectors, which are willing to help the government’s rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts.

“The response of the private sector is very encouraging. So we have scheduled a summit to get their commitment to help directly in the rehabilitation,” Lacson said.

Lacson said they are now in the process of preparing for the actual implementation and targeting full blown rehabilitation and rebuilding work by February to March.

For starters, Lacson is proposing the adoption system, where a specific private sector will adopt a school and reconstruct it.

Lacson revealed he received commitments from some business groups willing to sponsor development in Guiuan, Ormoc and northern Cebu.

“We are trying to expand that by seeking the help of at least 50 corporations in the country,” he said.

Lacson gave assurance that his office would not get in the way of the financing. “We won’t meddle in the handling of their funds, they will go direct to the places they want to adopt and rehabilitate.” – With Rainier Allan Ronda