ADB extends $3-M grant to Leyte landslide victims

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has extended a $3-million grant to the victims of the landslid in Southern Leyte last February.

In a statement, the ADB said the money, which was financed by the Japanese government through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, will be used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of key infrastructure facilities in the province that were damaged by landslides, including rebuilding roads, upgrading hospitals, and building schools.

The project seeks to rehabilitate farm-to-market roads, upgrade the facilities and services of the provincial hospital, construct an elementary school, and provide additional classrooms to elementary and secondary schools.

A portion of the money will likewise go to the establishment of a center to manage disaster response and relief.

Through this, the ADB said the impact of future disasters will be lessened. "This is an important step toward saving lives during future disasters," Arjun Thapan, director general of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department, said.

"The Provincial Disaster Management Center will provide training and equipment for search and rescue operations, and will coordinate the activities of those trying to help victims," he added.

The Southern Leyte provincial government requested grant assistance for rehabilitation and construction of key infrastructure facilities when officials from the international lending organization visited the area earlier this year.

Southern Leyte is one of the 10 most disaster-prone provinces in the Philippines. The landslide disaster in February was the worst in a decade, causing more than $3 million in immediate damages.

The landslide forced about 5,702 families to be evacuated, damaged about 35 kilometers of roads, and caused more than 20 school buildings to be abandoned. — Ma. Elisa Osorio