The EU and the UNDP team up for 'Project Recovery' in Leyte

MANILA, Philippines - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU) signed a contribution agreement last July 2014 to formalize their partnership in helping the citizens of the Visayas recover and rehabilitate after the devastation Yolanda left behind.

Delegates of the EU headed by Guy Ledoux and Czech ambassador Jaroslav Olsa, Jr. went to Leyte on Oct. 21, 2014 to visit the UNDP’s Project Management Office at Liceo de Verbo, Divino Compound, Tacloban City. The delegates were greeted by UNDP Country Director Maurice Dewulf.

CD Dewulf proceeded to give updates on the EU and UNDP-funded project for the citizens of Tacloban. Code named “Project Recovery,” the project aims to provide timely and sustainable recovery options to select communities in the Visayas (Region 8) devastated by Typhoon Yolanda. With the project, the UNDP expects to build sturdier public buildings that can also function as an evacuation center.

Project Manager Eden Garde also told the EU delegates that the UNDP has also begun its effort in restoring the local community’s livelihood in farming and fishing as well as creating more sustainable jobs. Ms. Garde also pointed out the UNDP’s drive in working together with the local government to further strengthen its response should another typhoon strikes.

Among these plans, Project Manager Garde also stated 3 sites to serve as Community Evacuation Centers (CEC) and these are in Tacloban, Ormoc, and Hernani. All 3 CECs will be two-storey buildings. The building project is currently in its design phase. A cold storage facility is also being planned as well disaster-resilient core shelters, not to mention the purchase of coco lumber from select farmers to create Grade A lumber in varying sizes to create said buildings.

Watch snippets of the EU’s Guy Ledoux and Maurice Dewulf’s discussion here:

The UNDP later led the EU delegation to New Kawayan, Tacloban City to view the “Transitional Shelters” built there for people most hit by Yolanda. Check out the gallery here: