5 years on, less than a quarter of typhoon Haiyan target relocation houses taken

FIVE YEARS ago today, Nov. 8, super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) made its first landfall in the central part of the Philippines, lashing through towns and cities that have been used to storms, but proved to be unprepared for what would be one of the strongest recorded in global history.
“Yolanda has taught us a hard lesson in public service, particularly on the need to respond to our people’s plight with more compassion and urgency,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador L. Panelo said in a statement on Nov. 7.
Citing data from the Presidential Assistant for Special Concerns, the oversight official for the Yolanda rehabilitation project, Mr. Panelo said that as of Dec. 31, 2017, a total of P146.156 billion has been released to national government agencies, government-owned-and-controlled corporations, and local government units for the relief and recovery program.
Half of these funds, he said, were allotted for housing programs and ancillary basic utilities.
However, of the 205,128 permanent housing targets for Yolanda victims, less than half, or 100,709, have been completed as of Oct. 30 this year.
Of the built houses, only 46,412 have already been occupied.
Many of the typhoon survivors, majority of whom are from the Eastern Visayas Region, have declined the relocation, citing lack of basic services in the sites as well as proximity to livelihood opportunities.
Mr. Panelo acknowledged this, and said the Duterte administration, which took over in July 2016, has been working “harder to fast track the recovery efforts.”
“To speed up resettlement, we are addressing issues that cause the delay, which include limited availability of titled lands for resettlement, slow processing and issuance of permits and licenses for construction projects and absence of sustainable livelihood opportunities, among others,” the Palace spokesman said.
He added that the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are now drafting a joint order to create a one-stop shop for relief distribution, similar to a proposal made by Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara. — Arjay L. Balinbin