Yolanda-hit barangays entitled to RAY funding - Mar

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay officials in supertyphoon Yolanda-hit areas will also receive financial support from the national government for the repair of village halls, day care and civic centers damaged by the calamity.

Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas said he has ordered agency officials in Yolanda-affected areas to ensure that all barangays have complied with all the requirements needed for them to avail of funding support.

He noted that under the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY), barangay units are also entitled to get financial assistance from the national government.

RAY is the national government’s strategic plan to guide the recovery and reconstruction of the economy, lives, and livelihoods in areas devastated by Yolanda.
  
The national government has allocated close to P1.8 billion under the DILG component of RAY for 14 provinces and 171 cities and municipalities affected by Yolanda November last year.
          
Roxas said funding under the program will be released as soon as the required documents have been submitted by the concerned barangays, particularly the program of works (POW).

"Hinihikayat ko ang mga mayor na gabayan ang mga barangay at tulungan ang mga opisyal ng barangay sa paghahanda ng mga dokumento.  Mahalagang makumpleto ang dokumento para matupad ang target natin na lahat ng apektadong barangay ay mabibiyayaan, walang maiiwan," he added.

An estimated 2,000 barangays in Region 8  were affected by Yolanda.

The amount released by DILG directly to the affected municipalities, cities and provinces in Eastern Visayas last month totaled more than P900 million.

Roxas hopes that all reconstruction projects by local government units will be completed by the end of the year.