Tent cities, bunk houses to be set up for 'Yolanda' evacuees

MANILA, Philippines - The government is eyeing tent cities and bunk houses as temporary shelters for families displaced by Super Typhoon "Yolanda."

Public Works and Highways Sec. Rogelio Singson said in an interview on ANC that the construction of the bunk houses will start next week.

"Definitely, the affected families will be more comfortable in bunk houses than in tents," he said in the interview.

Singson said the bunk houses will have individual rooms with windows and common bath areas.

He said 200 families will be accommodated in every hectare that will be made available.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said it is also ready to establish tent cities and bunk houses that will be built in areas to be provided by local government units.

According to the latest data of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), a total of 10.3 million people in 574 towns and 57 cities have been affected by the super typhoon.

Of the said figure, over four million were displaced and a total of 353,862 people of which are staying inside 1,550 evacuation centers.

The NDRRMC said 571,806 houses were damaged after Yolanda flattened communities with powerful winds and storm surges.

As of Sunday, a total of 430,435 family food packs, 46,646 bottles of water and 58,876 units of high energy biscuits have been distributed to affected areas in the provinces of Leyte and Samar.