BY: FAYETTE C. RIÑEN
CEBU CITY, May 31 (PIA) – Rehabilitation Czar Sec. Panfilo Lacson and other cabinet members that form part of the Yolanda Rehab ClusterTeam vetted and signed the rehabilitation, recovery and development plans of Cebu, Leyte, Samar and Tacloban City on May 30 in Cebu City.
Prior to the approval of the plans, these were presented in detail summarizing the extent of damage and the needs for the total rehabilitation in the areas like infrastructure, social services, shelter and livelihood of the affected localities.
Total rehabilitation budget endorsed by the three provinces and one city amounted to over P60 billion pesos with Tacloban City requiring the highest financial need of around P25.6 billion followed by Leyte with P22.7 billion. Cebu was third at P10.9 billion and Samar submitted P5.1 monetary requirement.
Presenting the respective rehab and development plans were Cebu. Gov. Hilario Davide III, Leyte Gov. Dominic Petilla, Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan an Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
Infrastructure got the biggest chunk of the needed amount for rehabilitation followed by shelter and resettlement combined.
Most of the clarifications were on the number of displaced families needing shelter, costs on the repairs and construction of public structures.
Some of the budget through the line agencies like Dep Ed for schools and Department of Health for health facilities were already downloaded which should have seen decreased financial needs in these areas.
In his opening statements prior to the start of the presentations, Lacson said the plan must first support a goal and pursue an objective. Likewise, it should be realistic and implementable.
“Our objective is to alleviate the suffering of the survivors in the most expeditious but efficient manner. Our goal is to build back better, so the typhoon prone areas will be better prepared for future disasters as powerful if not stronger than Yolanda, which we now regard as the new normal,” said Lacson.
Among the cabinet members in attendance were Public Works and Highways Sec. Rogelio Singson, Social Welfare Sec. Dinky Soliman, Budget Sec. Florencio Abad, Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas and Economic Planning Sec. Aresnio Balicasan.
Also present were top officials from the Dept. of Trade and Industry, Office of Civil Defense and National Housing Authority.
The signing was a seal of endorsement for the plans now ready to be presented to President Aquino for final approval.
Lacson expressed hopes the rest of Yolanda-ravaged areas like Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Biliran, Negros Occidental, Palawan and the other affected areas can submit their respective rehab and development plans to fasttrack rehabilitation and recovery of said localities.(mbcn/fcr/PIA-7)