P42-million unused Yolanda funds released for water meters

MANILA, Philippines — Almost six years after the massive devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Yolanda in Eastern Visayas, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has released the remaining P42 million in donated funds for victims in Leyte.

NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense administrator Ricardo Jalad said the remaining funds would be used for the rehabilitation of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, as NDRRMC chairman, led the turnover rites at Camp Aguinaldo on Friday.

“The funds will be utilized for the procurement and installation of 14,000 units of water meters for the homes built in the resttlement sites in Tacloban City,” Jalad said.

The LWMD, with assistance from the Local Water Utilities Authority, is now building a water supply system to provide water to the Tacloban City North Resettlement Sites.

However, as both agencies do not have the funds to procure the necessary water meters to complete the project, Jalad said the LWMD requested the NDRRMC, through the OCD, for funding assistance.

“Considering that there are no more claimants for financial assistance despite exhaustive efforts on the part of the OCD, the remaining donated funds have been earmarked to procure the needed water meter units to pursue the project to provide water supply to residents in resettlement sites,” Jalad said.

He, however, did not disclose the total amount donated to the Yolanda victims.

Tacloban City was one of the hardest hit areas when Yolanda struck in 2013, with Jalad saying that despite various efforts over five years, a lot of work remains to be done for its full recovery and rehabilitation.