Yolanda village to rise in Bogo

CEBU, Philippines - The first batch of 45 families who lost their houses to super typhoon Yolanda in Bogo City have received certificates of award as beneficiaries of the resettlement site in Barangay La Paz under the City’s Adopt a Barangay Program (ABP).

Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and City Mayor Celestino Martinez Jr. led the turn-over ceremony after the ceremonial groundbreaking of a one-hectare lot for 110 houses.

Representatives of some foreign donors, government and non-government organizations were also given recognition yesterday.

Ahmad Clay Escolar, ABP chairman, said each of the houses would have a floor area of 22 square meters, galvanized iron roofing, marine plywood and concrete hollow blocks, and would cost around P60,000.

He said that the design is that of a “progressive shelter,” as they allowed the house owner to develop it further to be typhoon-resilient.

Two years from now, each occupant should pay the minimal amount of P240 per month for 25 years.

Escolar said that the money collected shall be put as trust fund to develop further the resettlement site.

Martinez thanked the donors for their trust on the local government and the willingness to extend help to the typhoon victims.

“We will never forget sa inyong gihatag kanamo (what you gave us),” he said, adding that the people would never forget the help the foreign donors extended.

Davide praised Martinez and other city officials for the realization of the project.

The ABP is a two-year community rebuilding plan of the City Government to address its limited resources for the reconstruction of homes, with the total estimated cost of P295.6 million.

Bogo City envisioned the ABP to directly address the rehabilitation need of the communities in every barangay and was designed to be promptly felt by the people.

Yolanda damaged 18,000 houses in Bogo, with 4,000 that should be relocated due to their dangerous locations, 6,000 would be rebuilt onsite, while the remaining 8,000 just needed repairs.

Aside from the Yolanda village in La Paz, other relocation sites identified are in Barangays Malingin, Cayang and Polambato. (FREEMAN)