At last, Tent City opens

CEBU, Philippines - With the weather cooperating, the South Road Properties (SRP) Family Rehabilitation Center dedicated to accommodate super typhoon Yolanda survivors finally opened yesterday.

Twenty families were initially identified as first batch of recipients.

A Holy Mass was held at the site followed by the blessing of the shelters set up in a 13,000-square-meter property for the typhoon victims who sought refuge in Cebu.

The opening was attended by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, SRP Management Office Head Roberto "By" Varquez, Department of Social Welfare Services Head Ester Concha, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7 officials.

PRC Lapulapu chapter head and tent city representative Vic Jay Gonzal asked the recipients to take care of the tents donated by international counterparts to the PRC for distribution to super typhoon Yolanda victims.

Most of the tent city occupants came from the BarangayTinago evacuation center, which was opened to accommodate Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) who lost their homes and loved ones in Samar and Leyte provinces.

Despite the IDPs request for them to stay in Tinago, Concha said the evacuation center would be closed after this Sunday, as the barangay is already in need of the facility.

Also, an advantage is that services and assistance extended to Yolanda survivors would now be focused on the SRP tent city only, Concha said

Federico Tabay, one of the survivors, did not complain, saying he would be okay in his new temporary home.

Luciana Baguilod said the bane of the tent city is the heat, but she is still thankful for having been given a place to stay and provided with amenities and basic needs.

Before accommodating more IDPs, authorities would make an assessment report on the first batch of occupants to determine the changes and adjustments needed.—  (FREEMAN)