Mayor: Tacloban won't recover with people living in tents

TACLOBAN City, Philippines - Despite the slowly returning night life and local businesses opening, City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said Saturday that the city has not yet really recovered from Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Romualdez insisted that providing permanent shelters for the displaced residents and those living in danger zones should be prioritized over the distribution of food and reconstruction of government infrastructures.

"Humanitarian response is limited to food. Give them proper shelter. We cannot empower people if they live in danger zones," the mayor said.

Asked to assess how the city has recovered from the deadly typhoon, Romualdez said: "Let's look at their (affected residents) lives, and many of them are still living in tents."

"It's very difficult to work in tents. It's even difficult to dress up [in the tents]," he said, adding that more than 500 families are still living in tents and transitional shelters.

The mayor said that the first and last financial aid, at least P108 million, was received by the city from the national government last April.

He said that based on the city government's latest figures, only less than 200 permanent houses have been built and half of this number was made possible by the efforts of the private sector.

Romualdez said at least 14,500 permanent shelters are needed for the displaced residents and those living in danger zones.

The mayor said that based on the feedback from the people, they feel that the government's response is lacking because those affected by the typhoon are still living in tents and other temporary shelters.

"If you are talking about build back better, the definition of build back better by our people is building their lives back better, not building infrastructures back better, that's a second priority," he said.

He added: "Based on the feedback we are getting really is sila muna ang tulungan because sila ang direct na naapektuhan dito, ang buhay nila. Kapag tayo nag-concentrate sa local economy... ang infrastructure it indirectly affects them, not directly."

Meanwhile, the mayor said that more than half of the local businesses have reopened. He said that before the typhoon hit them, there are around 17,000 local businesses in the city.

He said they have been looking forward to the reconstruction and full operation of the Daniel Romualdez Airport as it would help local businesses to fully recover.