Rehabilitation projects to benefit typhoon victims in 6 regions

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) are set to implement a number of rehabilitation projects this June for the victims of typhoons in six regions last year.

“More typhoon recovery and mitigation projects have been identified for the coming months as the DSWD and WFP remain committed to rebuild lives and homes, in coordination with affected communities, local government units and other partners,” acting DSWD Secretary Celia Yangco said in a statement. 

The DSWD and WFP have started implementing food-for-work programs in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, National Capital Region and the Cordillera Administrative Region, which were severely affected by typhoons last year.

Yangco said some 95,000 households or 470,000 people from the poorest and most typhoon-affected communities are expected to benefit from the program. 

Under the food-for-work program, the typhoon victims will work in community rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in exchange for food, Yangco said. 

Under the first phase of the project, 450 communities involved in the repair and construction of homes and roads received 3,475 tons of rice.

“These projects will enable the rehabilitation of 300 damaged shelters and ensure the maintenance of about 200 kilometers of access roads,” Yangco said. 

Other projects include the declogging of drainage canals, environmental cleanup, and training in disaster preparedness, she said.

Meanwhile, Yangco said she and other DSWD officials recently met with international disaster management experts and discussed possible areas of cooperation and assistance in the recovery, relief and rehabilitation of victims of natural disasters in the Philippines. 

Yangco said experts from Sweden, United Kingdom, the United States, Belgium, and Russia shared new approaches, strategies and paradigms on how to effectively manage disasters and assist disaster victims.

Last year, tropical cyclones “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” successively hit the country, causing massive flooding in Metro Manila and nearby areas. 

Ondoy, which hit the country’s capital in September, left 464 people dead and affected an estimated 4.9 million families.

Pepeng, on the other hand, battered northern Luzon provinces in October, leaving 465 people dead and huge damage to properties and livelihood amounting to P27.2 billion.