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| (TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The government is now focusing on how to provide temporary shelters for the people displaced and left homeless by super typhoon "Yolanda" here and other provinces in the Visayas.
During the regular inter-agency meeting here Tuesday, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said the government has already reached all the areas affected by the disaster and has provided their basic needs such as food, water and other non-food items.
"The next challenge is really roof over the heads and that's where we are focusing now," Soliman said.
Department of Public Works and Highways Regional Director Rolando De Asis said, as of Monday, the government already started constructing 116 units of bunkhouses.
"One unit of bunkhouses can accommodate about 24 families. There is one common bathroom, one cooking area," he said.
The DPWH has built 21 units of bunkhouses in Leyte, 26 in Western Samar, 69 in Eastern Samar, and 10 units in Tacloban City.
These provinces were among the areas badly hit by Yolanda, the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines, which left at least 5,000 dead.
Soliman said the government will prioritize those families who have pregnant mothers, children, senior citizens and persons with disability.
The families will be identified by the City Social Welfare and Development with the help of the DSWD national team.
Soliman said that while the bunkhouses would last for only two months, the government is also preparing for the construction of permanent shelters for the calamity victims.
She said President Benigno S. Aquino III will be presiding a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to discuss the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in damaged areas.
The design and resiliency of the houses are beIng considered in the rebuilding and reconstruction being planned. PND (jb) |
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| In support of the 3rd Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared the period of 2013-2022 as the Philippine Decade of "Make the Right Real" for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The Chief Executive issued the directive by virtue of Proclamation No. 688 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on November 22, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.
Proclamation No. 125 (series 1993) and Proclamation No. 240 (series 2002) proclaimed the nationwide observance in the Philippines of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities in 1993-2002 and 2003-2012, respectively.
The High-Level Intergovernment Meeting on the Final Review of the Implementation of the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 2003-2012 was held at Incheon, Republic of Korea from October 29 to November 2, 2012.
In the said meeting, the participants, which included the Philippine delegation, adopted the Ministerial Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022, and the Incheon Strategy to "Make the Right Real" for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (Incheon Strategy).
During the National Council on Disability Affairs' regional consultation, the observance of a third decade of PWDs for the period of 2013-2022 was recommended to build on the gains towards disability-inclusive development.
The President directed the National Council on Disability Affairs to lead all disability-related efforts by formulating and issuing a comprehensive National Plan of Action for Decade which translates the objectives of Batas Pambansa Blg. 344, Republic Act Nos. 7277, 9442, 10070 and 10524, and other disability-related laws, programs and policies into concrete programs, activities and projects.
The President also enjoined all departments, agencies and instrumentalities of the national government and local government units (LGUs) to implement plans, programs and activities geared towards the development of PWDs in accordance with the Incheon Strategy.
The National Council on Disability Affairs shall carry out the President's directive in consultation with the private sector, civil society and LGUs.
The funds necessary for the implementation of the provisions shall be sourced from the appropriations of concerned government agencies. PND (js) |
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Transfer of affected families to temporary bunkhouses signals transition to early recovery and reconstruction for ‘Yolanda’ affected families, Coloma says |
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| The transfer of affected families from tents and evacuation centers to temporary bunkhouses signals the transition from relief to early recovery and reconstruction for typhoon-affected communities, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
In response to the directive of President Benigno S. Aquino III, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) began the construction of bunkhouses in identified sites in Tacloban, Palo, and Ormoc in Leyte, and Basey and Marabut in Samar over the weekend, Coloma said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday, Coloma said
The construction of bunkhouses in Guiuan, Hernani, and Borongan began Monday, the Communications Secretary said.
"At least 2,400 families will be resettled in this first phase. In coordination with the local governments, DPWH has begun site preparation in identified resettlement areas to facilitate transfer to the bunkhouses to be completed," Coloma said.
The DPWH is also preparing sufficient stocks of construction materials such as coco lumber, wooden frames, and GI sheet roofing for distribution to thousands of affected families whose houses were partially damaged, so they may return to their homes as soon as possible, Coloma stressed.
"As the people of Leyte and Samar begin to resettle and rebuild their homes, they are now being mobilized to participate in the reconstruction efforts under the cash-for-work or food-for-work programs," Coloma said.
"Additionally, DOLE is prepared to roll out an emergency employment program, involving up to 12,500 jobs whereby workers may conduct clearing and cleaning activities," he said. PND (js) |
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Fumigation starts in evacuation centers in Tacloban |
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| (TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The Philippine government on Tuesday assisted the Japan Disaster Relief-Self Defense Forces (JDR-SDF) Units in conducting fumigation at the Tacloban City Convention Center, which has temporarily housed hundreds of evacuees of typhoon “Yolanda” (international name Haiyan).
About fifteen men of Japan Self-Defense Forces sanitized the entire evacuation center, visited each and every room designed to prevent the spread of diseases in the aftermath of the deadly typhoon.
Department of Health Assistant Secretary Paulyn Rosell-Ubial, who also assisted the defense teams, said this will be the start of the fumigation in various evacuation centers and hospitals here.
"They will go around the city, in all evacuation centers, hospitals and other populated areas," Ubial said.
She said while there is still no reported cases of dengue yet, she reminded the evacuees to remain vigilant and to maintain cleanliness in their respective temporary shelters.
"Always protect yourself. Use mosquito nets and always clean your surroundings to protect you from diseases," she added.
She noted that the top five most common ailments and cases recorded in this city are upper respiratory tract infection, wounds, acute water diarrhea, hypertension and fever.
Ubial, meanwhile, noted that the chemicals used in fumigation are non- toxic and safe.
In an interview with Hirochika Namekawa, deputy director development assistance policy planning division of Japan's International Cooperation Bureau, he said the fumigation is just one of the assistance being given by Japan to the Philippines since the typhoon struck.
Aside from epidemic prevention, Japan has also been helping in transporting relief supplies and conducting medical relief activities.
More than 100 personnel of special defense forces of Japan has been deployed to the Philippines in addition to Japan's transport assistance such as three CH-47 transport helicopters, three UH-1 utility helicopters, transport vessel "Osumi", escort vessel "Ise", supple vessel "Towada", two KC-767 air tanker, seven C-130 transport aircrafts and U-4 utility support aircraft.
Japan has granted the Philippines a total of US$52.1 million in financial and humanitarian assistance. PND (jb) |
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| President Benigno S. Aquino III remains committed to leading the nation towards equitable progress regardless of the survey ratings, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.
"The President has always maintained that he will always do right by the people and fulfill his sworn mandate regardless of the survey ratings," Coloma said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday following reports that President Aquino III’s satisfaction rating dropped to 49 percent in the latest Social Weather Stations survey.
"So the President and the administration remain focused on achieving our priority programs in the Philippine Development Plan," the Communications Secretary said.
Based on the September 20 to 23 polls conducted by the SWS, the President’s net rating was pegged at 49 percent – with 68 percent expressing satisfaction over his performance while 19 percent declaring their dissatisfaction.
"Kung ang tinutukoy ninyo ay ‘yung third quarter ratings nila, makailang beses na po tinugunan ‘yan. Siguro po ang mas relevant na dapat hintayin ay ang kanilang fourth quarter ratings," Coloma said.
The President continues to implement reforms in pursuing the government's goals that are anchored on attaining inclusive growth and restoring public confidence in government institutions.
"The record would show that, for the past three years, the President has maintained a consistently high performance approval and trust ratings. So we are reasonably confident that in time the people will understand what government is doing and will be able to assess fairly the performance of their President and government," he said. PND (js) |
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DSWD to set up repacking hubs in ‘Yolanda’-hit areas in Visayas |
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| (TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will be setting up more repacking hubs in the Visayas to improve efficiency in delivering basic services to typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) victims.
DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman, at a regular inter-agency meeting Tuesday, said the government will no longer be repacking relief goods in Manila and will be opening hubs in areas hit by the typhoon such as Catbalogan, Ormoc and Tacloban.
"Ang tingin namin, kaya na natin dito. Hindi na po kailangang manggaling ng Maynila...Dito na mag-rerepack," she said.
"Catbalogan to serve the Eastern Samar side, Ormoc to serve the Western Leyte side, and Tacloban to serve the Eastern Leyte side and Tacloban City," she explained.
The DSWD also has a repacking center in Cebu which provides relief goods to Ormoc.
Soliman stressed the need to speed up the distribution of relief goods in Tacloban noting that there are still reports of bottleneck in warehouses and typhoon victims allegedly have yet to receive relief goods.
Transportation Secretary Emilio Jun Abaya is tasked to ensure the faster mobilization of relief goods in repacking hubs in Visayas.
Soliman said she requested 16 more trucks from DOTC to transport non-food items such tents, hygiene kits, and step-up sanitary toilets, provided by various foreign donors.
As of 6 p.m. Monday, Social Welfare Assistant Secretary Cheche Cabrera reported that the DSWD has delivered 1,611,489 food packs to 273,783 displaced families.
The agency has also provided 197,984 liters of water and 61,900 pieces of canned goods and high energy biscuits to affected families. PND (jb) |
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| (TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte) The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be launching another Diskwento Caravan on Wednesday here, which offers basic goods at a lower price.
DTI OIC Regional Director Stanley Tabiando said the caravan will no longer be a one-day event but it will run until the businesses in Tacloban return to normal.
"We are happy to announce that tomorrow, Wednesday, there will be a Diskwento Caravan at RTR Plaza," Tabiando said.
Aside from the basic commodities and products initially available in the caravan, it will also now be offering bread and construction materials for Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims.
The caravan will open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Security will be provided for the caravan to ensure peace and order.
"We will have 20 container vans [that's why] we are looking for more cemented areas where we can hold these caravans," Tabiando said.
As part of the normalization, City Administrator John Tecson Lim reported that several drug stores and more restaurants have opened since the typhoon hit.
About 12 banks have also resumed its operations but only limited to over-the-counter transactions.
East West Bank and Union Bank were among the latest banks to resume operations.
Lim also reported the resumption of operations of five radio stations including Radyo ng Bayan.
"Everything is going back to normal," he said.
The government is targeting to restore power here by December 24. Lim said 100 additional personnel coming from the Energy department in Luzon and Mindanao will be coming to Tacloban to ensure restoration of power as soon as possible.
Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, meanwhile, met with several businessmen here to hear their concerns, which the official intended to bring up during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to be presided over by President Benigno Aquino III.
Purisima was joined by Bureau of Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman. PND (jb) |
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