Marcos: Fast-track relocation of Yolanda survivors

MANILA, Philippines — As the nation marked the 10th anniversary of Super Typhoon Yolanda yesterday, President Marcos directed government agencies to fast-track the relocation of survivors and bolster the country’s disaster preparedness and climate change adaptation measures.

“Ten years have gone by and yet the memory of this tragedy remains indelible in our hearts and in our thoughts,” Marcos said in his speech during the commemoration in Tacloban City, Yolanda’s ground zero.

Marcos led the wreath laying at the Yolanda Memorial Monument and attended a mass at the Tacloban City Convention Center in honor of those who died during the super typhoon.

In 2013, Yolanda left over 6,000 people dead, but the actual death toll may be higher.

“To all the national leaders, all the local leaders, then and now, the private sector, the international (and) local organizations, volunteers (and) donors: accept our eternal gratitude,” the Chief Executive told the audience, which included members of the diplomatic corps, Cabinet officials, senators and thousands of Yolanda survivors.

During the event, the President led the ceremonial distribution of certificates of award to 3,000 beneficiaries of the National Housing Authority (NHA)’s Yolanda permanent housing sites.

Marcos gave assurance that the housing units to be constructed by his administration would be “suitable for the families that lost their homes.”

“The first reconstruction of the houses did not pass (the standard of) Mayor Alfred,” Marcos said, referring to his cousin, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

“We made sure that the facilities that were being created are now suitable for the families that lost their homes. And that is why they continue — the recovery, the rehabilitation, the rebuilding still continues,” he added.

In an interview with ANC yesterday, Romualdez noted that some Tacloban residents are still living in danger zones.

He said almost half of the houses built between 2013 and 2016 were incomplete and substandard.

The President said he directed the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the NHA to accelerate the provision of housing units and land titles to beneficiaries.

“And I also urge the Yolanda Response Clusters to work closely with concerned local governments to address the lingering issues of the different affected communities,” Marcos said.

As for climate change, Marcos said the country’s disaster preparedness, recovery and resiliency needed to be improved.

He noted that the government continues to build disaster-resilient evacuation and emergency operations centers and establish more centralized and efficient early warning systems, incident command systems and disaster response strategies.

The President also mentioned the deployment of new technologies, such as GeoRiskPH and PlanSmart along with the continuous conduct of information and education campaigns and simulation drills, which he said are useful for saving lives.  — Emmanuel Tupas, Ghio Ong