DHSUD to oversee building centers in typhoon-hit areas

THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) said they will be relocating poor households and overseeing the construction of safe evacuation facilities in typhoon affected areas.

In a statement, the DHSUD said this is part of its efforts in the “Build Back Better” task force, which is currently assessing the extent of recovery and rehabilitation efforts after recent typhoons.

Through the task force, the government intends to use a sciencebased approach in pushing for rehabilitation and recovery efforts in areas severely affected by Typhoons Rolly, Siony, Tonyo and Ulysses, the DHSUD said.

“What we need now is an assessment on the ground, which can be taken from the post- disaster risk assessment that should be conducted by the Office of the Civil Defense in coordination with all the government agencies on the ground,” DHSUD Secretary Eduardo D. del Rosario said. “So we can immediately get readings on the ground and included therein are the LGUS [ local government units], affected LGUS.”

Malacañang earlier said that the task force will complement the operations of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council as the Department of Disaster Resilience, which is being proposed by some lawmakers is not yet established.

The task force also seeks to establish more resilient communities around the country, as well as further bolster LGUS’ disasterpreparedness programs.

The task force is co-chaired by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Public Works and Highways. The DHSUD will lead the “Stronger Shelter and Resilient Settlement Committee” of the Task Force.

“All we need to do is to have that post-disaster team that will go to the provinces affected by these three typhoons to give us a full picture of the damages and give an assessment and that will be the basis of our Task Force on what rehabilitation concerns that we must undertake,” del Rosario said.