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| Bunkhouses construction start in two worst-hit towns in Samar |
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| (BASEY, Samar) Three weeks after the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda, local government officials here are now focusing on providing temporary and permanent relocation sites for the displaced families in this town. Basey Vice Mayor Paul Charles Adona said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has started the construction of 18 units of bunkhouses in Barangay Canmanila Sitio Bangon here. "There are 51,000 families displaced by typhoon Yolanda in our town," Adona said adding that the evacuees are currently housed in two evacuation centers at Basey Church and Basey Elementary School. The bunkhouses, which can accommodate 24 families each, are expected to be completed within two weeks according to DPWH Eastern Visayas regional director Rolando Asis. Adona said those who will occupy the bunkhouses will be determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which earlier said that they will prioritize families with vulnerable members including babies, pregnant women, elderly and persons with disabilities. The Vice Mayor said the permanent relocation houses for displaced families will also be constructed in Barangay Canmanila. "President Aquino ordered to relocate the people to safer grounds," he said adding that people who are living near the coastal areas will be prioritized. "We will be drafting an ordinance preventing people to reside 20 meters from the sea wall, which is considered as a danger zone," Adona noted. He said the local government has P50-million standby funds ready to be used for the building of permanent houses. "We are hoping to finalize the negotiation with the owner of the property next week so we can start with the construction," Adona said. Basey is one of the areas hit hardest by Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest cyclone to hit the country, which has left at least 5,000 people dead. Some people here are trying to get back on their feet by rebuilding the houses that can be repaired but most areas remain a desolate wasteland. Meantime, the DPWH is also constructing 18 units of bunkhouses in the nearby town of Marabut also part of Western Samar. Marabut was also one of the worst-hit areas by Yolanda here in Samar. PND (jb) |
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| Kandungos falls provides potable clean water to 5 towns in Samar |
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| (MARABUT, Samar) A small, modest waterfall in a barangay here has become very useful to residents affected bybysuper typhoon "Yolanda." For the past six days, the Kandungos Falls located in Barangay Malobago here has served as water station of Philippine National Red Cross, which has been rationing clean drinking water to five towns in Samar. The towns are Marabut in Western Samar; Lawaan, Balangiga, Giporlos and Quinapondan, all in Eastern Samar. A volunteer from Red Cross said about 50,000 liters of potable water have been delivered everyday to areas affected by the typhoon. The Red Cross has provided the equipment to process raw water coming from Kandungos Falls into safe and clean drinking water. The wrath of Typhoon Yolanda is still evident in this town and its nearby town of Basey, two of the hardest-hit areas in Samar. While the government has already provided the basic needs of the people here, residents are now complaining about their livelihood as coconut trees, one of their main sources of income, were flattened by the storm surge. One resident of Basey said the head of their family was forced to leave town hoping to find work in Manila. Others, meanwhile, were trying to start anew and earn money by selling fruits such as ripe mangoes from Davao. Some are also trying to find alternative livelihood like fishing, farming and poultry. Meanwhile, the International Red Cross has set up makeshift hospitals in Basey to offer medical assistance and free check up to affected families. PND (jb) |
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| Guiuan residents in Eastern Samar start to rebuild lives |
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| (GUIUAN, Eastern Samar) Residents of this town are starting to pick up the pieces three weeks after the devastation wrought by typhoon "Yolanda," one of the world's strongest storms. The local government here is focusing on clearing debris and rehabilitation of damaged houses. Sangguniang Bayan Secretary and Operations Center Spokesperson Rectito Melquiades said the clearing operations here were already 70 percent complete as of Thursday. "Several private companies were lending us heavy equipment to clear municipal streets and other areas. We gave priority to the main streets," Melquiades said. He said they no longer have problems in delivering relief goods and reaching all islands in Guiuan as they have cleared all road blocks already. There have been at least seven rounds of relief goods distribution in coastal barangays and four islands of Guiuan such as Suluan Island, Homonhon, Tubabao and Manicani, the official said. Citing official report, Melquiades said that the local relief center in Guiuan has served 14,193 families in 60 barangays. He said they are trying to limit the distribution of relief goods due to reports of hoarding and they want people particularly fishermen and farmers to go back to work. "We have sufficient supply of relief goods but we don't want them to just rely on us. They need to go back to work and provide for their families," he said. The Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative has also started repairing toppled electric posts to meet the deadline set by the Energy department to restore power in entire Eastern Visayas by December 24. As for the bunkhouses, the Department of Public Works and Highways has started to build temporary shelters in five towns and islands in Eastern Samar. Thirty-five bunkhouses will be built in Guiuan, three in Victory Island, three in Campoyong, two in Salug, two in Tubabao and one in Lupok, according to Melquiades. Several police officers stationed at an outpost in Barangay Mercedes have also started rebuilding their office. Some district hospitals are also operational as Melquiades assured of sufficient supplies of medicines. Big establishments, however, are not yet operational as looting remains a concern to residents here. Melquiades said they are expecting business and trade to normalize soon as police forces have already been augmented in the town. At least 100 people died here due to Typhoon Yolanda. At least 16 persons died in the small island of Victory alone. PND (jb) |
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| Aquino orders loan relief to typhoon victims |
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| President Aquino orders more relief for victims of super typhoon Yolanda, this time in the form of financial assistance, to help them rebuild their lives. “The President also ordered the issuance of Memorandum Circular # 59, directing all government financial institutions to grant a 6-month moratorium on outstanding loan payments, and extend interest-free loans to individuals and entities directly affected by the calamity arising from Typhoon Yolanda,” Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said in his press briefing. Signed last Nov. 26, Coloma said, the circular includes the following government financial institutions, GFIs and GOCCs: 1. Landbank of the Philippines; 2. Development Bank of the Philippines; 3. GSIS; 4. SSS; 5. National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (PAGIBIG); 6. People’s Credit and Finance Corporation; 7. Philippine Postal Savings Bank; 8. Philippine Retirement Authority; 9. Quedan and Rural Credit Guarantee Corporation; and, 10. United Coconut Planters Bank. Even as financial assistance and commitments for ravaged areas continue to pour in, the government has already set in motion programs to fast-track the rehabilitation of typhoon-ravaged areas. “Government line agencies are on top of the rehabilitation efforts. The Departments of Public Works and Highways, Energy, and Education have already started work on restoring basic infrastructure while National Defense and Social Welfare and Development continue to work on relief and retrieval operations,” Coloma said. PND |
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| Police chief gives cash aid to cops affected |
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| (PALO, Leyte) Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Alan Purisima arrived here Friday to give food and cash assistance to uniformed personnel affected by super typhoon "Yolanda" in Leyte. After visiting the heavily damaged PNP-CIDG office in Tacloban City, Purisima went to PNP Regional Headquarters in Camp Kangleon here to lead the distribution of relief assistance to typhoon-stricken policemen. The Police Chief handed over initial relief insurance benefits to families of six policemen who died during the onslaught of Yolanda amounting to P71,000 each. He noted that the remaining insurance benefits for deceased cops with a total amount of 2.3 million are already being processed. The policemen were: SPO4 Rogelio Alba of Tacloban City Police Office; SPO1 Edgar Evina, PO2 Adelfo Lopez, and PO2 Jaffy Villegas all from Leyte Police Provincial Office; PO3 Gerardo Rojas and SPO4 Saballa from CIDG. Three out of the 6,271 policemen assigned in the region have yet to be accounted for. Purisima also led the distribution of 4,000 food and non-food items to 3,187 police personnel affected by the calamity. Some 1,500 police uniforms were also distributed including athletic and camouflage uniforms and shoes. He also provided P10,000 additional benefits for the six police casualties, P5,000 each for 16 injured policemen and P3,000 for 453 personnel affected by the typhoon. Purisima also committed financial assistance donated by various PNP regional offices and national support units amounting to P3.2 million with additional pledges of P506,000 to be given to all affected PNP personnel. He, likewise, announced the early release of 13th month pay and Christmas bonuses for all police personnel in Eastern Visayas. Affected police personnel could also apply for a special calamity loan of up to P30,000 with zero percent interest and emergency loan of up to P50,000 with three percent interest, added Purisima. He said there is P4-million assistance fund for the entire PNP and Armed Forces personnel in Leyte and Samar. The Police Chief also flew in three doctors, six psychologists, five nurses and five aid men from the health service in Manila to cure all injured personnel and to help address post-traumatic needs of the affected policemen. He also assured enough supplies of medicines, antibiotics, and vitamins for the cops. Purisima also donated two generator sets, two units of water purifier systems, computers and scanners for various PNP offices in Leyte and Samar. "These may be simple tokens of appreciation for what you have done in the name of service and commitment to your responsibility as law enforcers but they symbolize our great concern for you," he said. "Let us continue to be united and be optimistic that there is no storm or obstacle that is so great that could break our spirit or defeat our collective strength," he added. PND (jb) |
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| President Aquino declares December 2 as special non-working day in Pasay City in celebration of its 150th Foundation Day |
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| President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared December 2, which falls on a Monday, as a special non-working day in the city of Pasay in celebration of its 150th Foundation Day anniversary. The Chief Executive issued the declaration by virtue of Proclamation No. 685 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on Nov. 18 to give the people of the city the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion. The city of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila. In 1862, a number of prominent citizens of Pasay sent a petition to the civil and ecclesiastical authorities asking that they be allowed to manage their own political and religious affairs. On December 2, 1863 upon the recommendation of Archbishop Gregorio Martinez of Sta. Cruz, Pasay became a Pueblo. PND (js) |
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