Transition centers for ‘Sendong’ victims

 

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman said Monday the transition centers are bunkhouses are to be located near the relocation sites. “Inaasahan namin by next week magsisimula na ang tinatawag nating transition centers. Bunkhouses yan, na doon muna sila habang tinatayo ang bahay (We expect to start building by next week the transition centers. These are bunkhouses where the residents will stay while their new homes are being built),” she said in an interview on dwIZ radio.

 

Soliman said they may consider using container vans as makeshift houses. “Pwede namin tingnan yan at aming ie-explore kung maraming container van na makukuha (We can explore that possibility, especially if there are many container vans that we can get),” she said.

 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that as of 6 a.m. Monday “Sendong” had affected 110,806 families or 695,195 people in 789 villages in 56 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces. Cagayan de Oro and Iligan Cities were among the areas hit hardest.

 

Soliman also said the Department of Social Welfare and Development has agreed with the Cagayan de Oro City government to spend the housing aid for residents on housing materials.

 

According to her, the government has earmarked P70,000 per family that is “validated” as having lost their homes to “Sendong.”

 

Figures from the DSWD indicated 5,801 houses were destroyed in Cagayan de Oro City were totally damaged, she said.

 

“Materyales ang ibigay para sa ganoon talagang sigurado magagamit sa pagtatayo ng bahay (We will give them housing materials to make sure the funds do not go elsewhere),” she said. – Rappler.com