MANILA, Philippines – The government continues to rebuild areas affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), but even President Benigno Aquino III wants to see an increase in the pace of rehabilitation.

On Tuesday, April 14, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr shared notes from a Cabinet meeting the day before on the progress of the rehabilitation plan.

He said, “President Aquino directed the Cabinet to accelerate the implementation of rehabilitations projects covering infrastructure, housing, livelihood, and social services in all Yolanda-affected areas.”

Coloma said the priority of the government has been to complete resettlement and permanent housing for those in high-risk areas, totalling 205,128 families. On-site shelter assistance for those whose houses were totally and partially damaged is also being addressed, with the completion of all-new permanent housing units aimed for 2016.

Updates in rehabilitation, according to the Cabinet secretaries, are as follows:

Infrastructure

• Construction of key public infrastructures are in various stages of completion
• Targets by June 2015: Completion of 56.7 km of national roads out of 116.3 km; 1,129.6 lineal meters of 1,852 lineal meters of national bridges; 30 out of 48 office buildings expected to be completed by June 2015; 56 out of 99 flood control structures
• Total or substantial completion of 106 municipal and city halls, 109 public markets, and 101 civic centers 
• 84% of the total 2,313 new classrooms built or substantially completed; rehabilitation of 56% of 17,335 classrooms either totally or partially completed; expected completion of classroom construction and rehabilitation is second semester of 2015
• Total or substantial completion of repair of 479 barangay health stations, 95 rural health clinics, 31 local hospitals, and 8 other Department of Health facilities.
• Substantial or total accomplishment of objectives to provide livelihood opportunities through Cash-for-Building Livelihood Assets Program covering 360,203 families
• Continuous livelihood assistance grants for sustainable livelihood projects to 131,283 families after successfully assisting about 2,559 families in 2014

Social Services

• Scholarships, incentives, and other financial assistance totaling 436.9 million granted to 56,272 student-beneficiaries 
• Substantial or total completion of projects involving provision of 6.47 million textbooks, replacement of damaged computer packages in school, nutrition or feeding programs for 327,845 children
• Completion of all 43,070 hectares targeted for the National Greening Program and ongoing mangrove and beach forest development programs covering 12,323 hectares
• 100% completion of projects involving provision of essential medicine kits, procurement of medicines for the Western Visayas Medical Center and the Eastern Visayas Medical Center, and the provision of complete treatment packs for 301 regional health units
• Completed nutrition programs involving 226,625 children and provision of water disinfectants for 176,522 households
• Continuing relief assistance to vulnerable sectors covering 77,739 families
• 100% completion of provision of cash-for-work assistance for: a) clearing and land preparation covering 24,757 hectares; b) 370,000 animals vaccinated; and c) de-silting operations covering a total area of 704,099 lineal meters
• 100% completion of: a) assistance to 32,359 targeted small- and medium-scale enterprises; b) 52,985 jobs generated for the National Greening Program of DENR; and c) 1,356 jobs generated for DENR’s community-based forest management program
• Provision of emergency employment to 33,173 beneficiaries and livelihood assistance to 47,319 beneficiaries
• Substantial completion of the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology program for nearly 2,000 beneficiaries

Others

• 4.2 million damaged coconut trees covered in the timber disposal and utilization program
• 100% completion of the targeted provision of equipment and machinery to 509 common service facilities
• Department of Budget and Management directed to ensure timely release of needed funds to meet the targeted date of completion

Coloma said the efforts of the government are just as “massive” as the effect of the disaster.

“The effect was massive so we are able to appreciate the reports given by the different clusters whose extent [in efforts] is also massive – the breadth and depth of the rehabilitation projects that have been going on since November of 2013,” he said.

The total amount required for all rehabilitation projects is P176.7 billion. Of that number, P51.6 billion were funded in 2013 and 2014, leaving a balance of P125 billion. The funding requirement figure for 2015 meanwhile is P85.8 billion. – Rappler.com