BY: REY ANTHONY H. CHIU
BOHOL, March 15 (PIA) –Showing full
control of the tense unwanted displacement situation in his town, Clarin Mayor
Allen Rey Piezas calmed his people who have less than three weeks to
remain at the evacuation camp before the authorities break the camp.
Piezas was invited by the
communications management team of the international humanitarian organizations
who noted the huge communication gap that fed speculations and uncertainties
among temporary shelter dwellers.
To fill the lack of information,
International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Philippine Information
Agency (PIA) in Bohol brings in mobile Pulong-Pulong sa Komunidad as a venue
for quake survivors, evacuation camp settlers, local government authorities
and donor organizations to dialog on key issues and concerns.
Wanting to be assured of a relocation
site after the temporary camp lot owner has served notice to break camps by
March 31, 17 families belonging to Piezas Compound settlers ask about their
future.
Piezas shared two arrangements by the
town as yet.
He said the LGU is helping people stay
temporarily on a resettlement lot in Tangaran, where settlers pay a minimal
rental, while another area is negotiated for acquisition by LGU in Buacao.
He also said Clarin has 316 houses it
got from the government through the Department of Social Welfare and
Develoment-Habitat for Humanity assistance. He also said international shelter
assisting organizations have also packages of shelter and water and sanitation
for Clarin quake victims.
The mayor however stressed that with
Clarin not included in the 9 priority towns for shelter assistance, they may
have to settle for more help from shelter organizations and not with
government.
The mayor also told the people that
with Capitol, they are asking for an exception in the National Housing
Authority rules on its assistance.
The NHA gives aid, but this could not
be used for land acquisition, he said.
In the case of Clarin, being a 5th class
town, he has tapped Bohol Capitol to help him convince the NHA to convert its
assistance for land acquisition instead, as international organizations are
already pledging shelter assistance to his town.
IOM communications specialist Christie Bacal, assured people that with government is still
looking at getting the resettlement site, victims with private lots available
now can already start erecting IOM assisted core shelters.
International Federation of the Red
Cross (IFRC) also said it can help Clarin residents with shelter assistance,
even on those to be built on private lots.
The ongoing policy for shelter
donations on private lots is that, beneficiaries need to show ownership or
consent from land owners and that the lots are risk-free before shelter
packages can be released.
Piezas also reports that aside from the
316 houses from DSWD, IOM is giving out 190 shelters. Other shelter assisting
groups have also communicated assistance.
While the Piezas Compound lot owners
said they are getting back the lot March 31, IOM begged a bit of patience as
there is a noted difficulty in sourcing out construction materials and supply
in Bohol.
But of the 17 families in the compound,
IOM said the least they could do is deliver the shelter materials a week before
March 31, to the applause of the forum participants.
Piezas also assured the full support
from local government to the evacuees, offering livelihood assistance and cash
for work schemes to allow families to slowly stand and be self reliant in time.
(mbcn/rahc/PIA7-Bohol)