Yolanda survivors to PNoy: We're living in danger zones

MANILA, Philippines - Hundreds of “Yolanda” survivors have sent an open letter to President Benigno Aquino III informing him that they are still living in dire conditions almost two years after the powerful typhoon ravaged the country.

The survivors said some displaced residents are concerned about their safety because their temporary shelters are made of light materials that may not withstand strong typhoons.

“For those of us who are living in transitional shelter sites or bunkhouses, our situation is not that different from those living in danger zones,” the September 22 letter written in Filipino read.

“The transitional shelter sites and bunkhouses are only made of coco lumber and bamboo. We are worried about their durability because they are already deteriorating due to our length of stay. We fear for our safety this rainy season. Children are often very afraid of winds and rains.”

The survivors also described the temporary shelters as overcrowded and poorly ventilated.

“Majority of us are missing meals and are getting sick especially the children. The cases of malnutrition are rising and the sources of medicines and health services are limited,” they added.

The survivors said while those living in permanent relocation sites have sturdier houses, they lack access to basic services like electricity and water, livelihood opportunities, and nearby health facilities.

“In some barangays, people have to travel far to fetch water. It is extra difficult for women, children and the elderly, and eats up so much time that could have been spent doing productive work,” they said.

“In some barangays, families have to wait for the government’s water ration, and it’s usually not enough.”

The survivors urged the president to allot funds to set-up a water system for resettlement areas and to build disaster resilient evacuation centers. They also asked him to fast-track the construction of permanent shelters and to implement a comprehensive livelihood program for affected families. 

The typhoon survivors also called for the suspension of a storm surge protection project that they fear would displace 10,000 families in Tacloban City.

They were referring to the Storm Surge Protection: Road Heightening and Tide Embankment project which will cover the 27.3-kilometer stretch of shoreline from Tacloban City to Tanauan, Leyte.

“We are not against the national government’s plan to build a dike as protection against storm surges, but 10,000 families currently living in the project site are at risk of losing their homes again because until now, the promised permanent housing units are yet to be seen,” the survivors said.

About 10,000 families who are waiting to be transferred to permanent relocation sites have built shanties within the area to be covered by the project. 

The survivors said their livelihood as well as the studies of their children would be disrupted if they are asked to leave the area within the year.

"Typhoon 'Yolanda' has displaced us from our homes. We will be displaced again because of the processes and the projects of the government,” they said.

Algina Lacaba of the United Northern Internally Displaced Persons Resettlement Association said the government should prioritize resolving the lack of water in the permanent sites before embarking on another project.

“We laud the government for this infrastructure project but we hope this will not be done in haste and at the expense of the welfare of the families displaced by Yolanda,” Lacaba said.

“Instead, we should prioritize the needs of the people from vulnerable communities because no matter how hard they try to survive, these problems in relocation sites will only push them deeper into poverty,” Lacaba added.

“Yolanda,” considered the most powerful storm to make landfall in recorded history, left at least 6,300 persons dead and damaged about P90 billion worth of properties in 2013.