MANILA, Philippines - As the year ends, recovery and rehabilitation efforts for Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan) are almost complete, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Thursday.
The overall weighted physical accomplishment of completed and ongoing Yolanda programs projects and activities is at 63.2 percent, according to NEDA.
The completed Yolanda projects and activities stand at 30.3 percent while 33.1 percent are ongoing. The ongoing projects are set to be completed by 2016, the NEDA said in a statement.
"The government is making strides in rebuilding resilient communities in the Yolanda corridors in the Visayas regions, as well as in MIMAROPA region, particularly through sustainable infrastructure development and responsive social services," NEDA Director General Arsenio Balisacan said.
Balisacan added that Yolanda survivors now have better prospects with the help of various livelihood assistance programs by the government.
NEDA listed the following Yolanda recovery and rehabilitation projects that are completed and ongoing:
- Distribution of 339,745 learning kits to Yolanda-affected schools has been completed
- Almost all damaged airports (35 out of 37 or 94.6 percent) have been rehabilitated
- Most municipal facilities (295 out of 309 or 95.5 percent) under the first batch – such as civic centers, municipal halls and public markets — have been rehabilitated
- A significant majority (89.21 percent of the total target of 1,852.53 lineal meters) of damaged bridges have been rehabilitated
- Majority (72.4 percent) damaged national roads (77.9 km out of 107.6 km) have been reconstructed
According to NEDA, 788,747 households or 76.3 percent of the targeted one million families affected by the typhoon have benefited from the Emergency Shelter Assistance. This program sought to assist affected families to rebuild sturdier houses away from the danger zones.
Families with partially damaged houses received P10,000 worth of cash or materials while families with totally damaged houses received P30,000 worth of cash or materials.
Meanwhile, 48,995 Yolanda survivors or 89.4 percent of the targeted 54,825 beneficiaries have had their fishing boats repaired or replaced. Thousands more have received fishing gears and paraphernalia than originally intended, the NEDA said.
The NEDA also noted that the distribution of rice and corn seeds is nearing completion with 85.7 percent of targeted bags distributed to beneficiaries.
Aside from the restoration of livelihoods of farmer and fisherfolks, the government also provided new livelihood opportunities such as an entrepreneurship training.
The resettlement of survivors from the danger zones remains the most challenging among the recovery efforts, Balisacan said.
Only 13,335 housing units have been completed while the construction of 79,219 houses are ongoing and expected to be completed by December 2016.
Last April, President Benigno Aquino III issued Memorandum Order 79 which transferred the coordination, monitoring and evaluation of all disaster-related Yolanda programs from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery to NEDA.
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