Needs of Yolanda survivors being addressed – Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang assured the public yesterday that the needs of survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) were being addressed, even as a special envoy of the United Nations (UN) said the attention on those rendered homeless was “waning.”

UN special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons Chaloka Beyani yesterday said while the government should be commended for its immediate disaster responses, “its attention to ensuring sustainable and durable solutions for internally displaced persons remained inadequate to date.”

While Yolanda survivors were generally satisfied with the temporary shelters given to them, Beyani pointed out that basic utilities, such as electricity and water, were not provided in transition communities.

In an interview over state-run radio dzRB, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte admitted that there have been delays.

“There is really much more to be done for our fellowmen affected by Typhoon Yolanda and... as the President said, we are really monitoring that. He calls for frequent meetings with his Cabinet secretaries to see what has been done already because he’s saying that a lot of things should have been done yesterday; meaning, ASAP (as soon as possible),” Valte said.

“We agree with the observations and we thank him for recognizing the efforts of government when it comes to caring for internally displaced persons. That’s true, that’s a big task. We cannot help once, and then leave them hanging, as President Aquino said. So that is also a task that requires the national government, in cooperation with the local government, to ensure (sustained assistance to IDPs),” she said.

The Palace earlier said it was focused on building back better and more resilient communities and assured rebuilding in areas hit by the typhoon would be finished in 2016.

Aquino has also been directing the Cabinet to expedite the implementation of rehabilitation projects covering infrastructure, housing, livelihood and social services in all Yolanda-affected areas. 

For her part, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said there are “constraints” amid the need to fast-track the permanent shelters.

Soliman said an increase in land prices delayed the construction of permanent homes and the lack of power and running water in some areas was due to the local governments’ unpaid utility bills.

Earlier, Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said resettlement and building of permanent housing for families living in high-risk areas remained a priority of the government. – With Evelyn Macairan