Panay reassured of ‘Yolanda’ shelter aid
ROXAS CITY, Capiz - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Mar Roxas is reassuring officials in Panay Island that funding for financial aid in rebuilding shelter for survivors of super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) will be released in due time.
Roxas stressed that President Aquino has not forgotten Yolanda survivors in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo provinces.
The DILG secretary, along with Department of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin and Department of Social Welfare and Development Sec. Corazon Soliman, was in Capiz’s provincial capital, Roxas City late last week to preside over a Yolanda rehabilitation consultative meeting for Panay Island.
Roxas discussed the status of repairs of damaged public infrastructures and also tackled questions regarding the release of financial aid for shelter.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. asked if the national government will release the 30,000-financial aid for each Yolanda survivor whose houses were totally destroyed or the 10,000 for those whose homes were partially damaged.
“Yes, it will be released,” answered Soliman.
In Iloilo province alone, Soliman said DSWD-6 is verifying the combined 129,081 houses that were both reported to have been totally destroyed and partially damaged by Yolanda. Of that figure, 43,077 refers to totally damaged houses and 86,004 to partially damaged houses.
Defensor also prodded the Cabinet secretaries on when the funds will be released to Yolanda survivors.
“By end of January 2015,” was Soliman’s reply.
Defensor pressed on further, asking if Yolanda survivors who initiated the repair of the homes could still avail of the shelter funding committed by government for Panay Island. Soliman gave assurances that they would still be included among the funding recipients.
Still, Manila Bulletin has received reports of concern from Yolanda survivors through Panay Island regarding officials who have conducted ocular inspection of typhoon-hit houses telling them they can no longer avail of aid from government since they have already started to effect minor repairs on their homes.
Governors Florencio Miraflores of Aklan, Exequiel Javier of Antique and Victor Tanco Sr. of Capiz who were present at the meeting also urged the national government to prioritize the needs of Yolanda survivors in affected areas on Panay Island.
Along with Gazmin, who concurrently serves as chairperson of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ( NDRRMC), was NDRRMC Executive Director Alexander Pama. (Tara Yap)