TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Preparations are afoot for President Benigno "P-Noy" Aquino's visit to Bohol, an earthquake-ravaged province, on Monday (Feb. 24), a day before the 28th anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolution.
Aquino's revisit here, his fourth in a span of four months since the Oct. 15 earthquake that devastated the province, is intended to check on the government's recovery and rehabilitation efforts, particularly the construction of bunkhouses in some towns, where victims still are struggling in tents as their temporary shelters.
The president is expected to inspect the bunkhouses being built in the town of Loon, one of the hardest quake-hit towns in the province. He is also slated to meet with several municipal and provincial officials and representatives of some organizations.
This will be Aquino's first visit this year, after he came to the city on Oct. 16, the day after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake.
The second was when he slept over in Loon town, in an apparent show of solidarity and support, while the third one was when he inaugurated the temporary Abatan bridge, that collapsed at the height of the earthquake.
Just recently DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Habitat Foundation for the construction of core shelters for earthquake victims. She handed over a P317.5 million check to start the ball rolling in the rehabilitation of earthquake-damaged houses, or the construction of at least 8,000 houses in 17 towns. (FREEMAN)