Senate report: 'Yolanda' bunkhouses substandard but not overpriced

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Committee on Public Works has concluded that the temporary shelters built for the victims of Typhoon "Yolanda" did not meet international standards.

According to the Senate panel's report dated May 21, the bunkhouses were substandard because there was a lack of necessary constructions materials as required by the Department of Public Works and Highways and a lack of manpower to actually build the shelters.

The report said that due to the critical necessity of building temporary shelters for the typhoon victims at the soonest time possible after the catastrophe struck, the bunkhouses were built despite the lack of specified materials required.

"The bunkhouses are not in compliance with the international standards in building transitional houses. This is because these bunkhouses were built out of the available materials and resources at the time of its construction," the report said.

"The prevailing emergency situation then compelled the government to urgently construct the bunkhouses despite the lack of quality resources in order to save lives, which is more important than compliance with the technicalities of the law," it added.

The report, however, noted that despite the deficiencies, the bunkhouses are being remedied and the contractors are doing the necessary corrections.

It also said that the bunkhouses are not overpriced since the contractors who built then have not yet been paid for the expenses that they incurred during the construction.

When the bunkhouse controversy surfaced earlier this year, Malacañang said the country doesn't need to meet international standards in the construction of the shelters.

Read: Palace on bunkhouse mess: We don't need to follow int'l standards

Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas last November, flattening communities with its powerful winds and storm surges.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Yolanda damaged 1.14 million houses and affected 3.4 million families or 16 million people.