New homes, new hope for Yolanda survivors – Romualdez
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., House Speaker Martin Romualdez, National Housing Authority General Manager Joeben Tai, Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Acuzar, Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla and other government officials turn over eight completed Yolanda Permanent Housing Program units in Leyte, Samar and Biliran provinces at a ceremony at the Burauen Community College Multi-Purpose Gym in Leyte on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (Photo from the Office of Speaker Martin Romualdez)
MANILA, Philippines — For House Speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez, new homes for survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan) represents “new hope,” saying that over 1,900 completed housing units are already occupied.
Romualdez joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in a ceremony on Friday to turn over the housing units to the local chief executives of eight municipalities across Leyte, Samar and Biliran provinces.
“Ang mga bahay na ito ay kumakatawan sa bagong pag-asa at bagong simula para sa ating mga kababayan na nasalanta ng Yolanda,” Romualdez said in a statement on Friday.
(These housing units represent new hope and a fresh start for our fellow countrymen hit hard by Yolanda.)
“Ang tagumpay ng proyektong ito ay dahil sa pagtutulungan ng lahat ng sektor, mula sa pamahalaan hanggang sa ating mga komunidad,” the Leyte representative added.
Article continues after this advertisement(This project’s success is because of the collaboration of all sectors, from the government to our communities.)
Article continues after this advertisementThe National Housing Authority’s (NHA) Yolanda Permanent Housing Program topped off 3,517 housing units.
Romualdez reported that, of that number, 1,963 units were awarded to and occupied by qualified beneficiaries identified as Yolanda survivors.
Further, according to the speaker’s office, each unit has a floor area between 22 and 28.6 square meters. Their lots also have an area of 40 square meters.
“This is also about restoring dignity and giving our kababayans a chance to rebuild their futures,” Romualdez said.
“Patuloy tayong magsusulong ng mga programang magbibigay ng seguridad at katiyakan sa ating mga kababayan.”
(We will continue to push for programs that give security and assurance to our fellow countrymen.)
Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated the Visayas region on Nov. 8, 2013, claiming the lives of over 6,000 people and leaving billions of pesos worth of damage to agriculture, infrastructure and many more sectors in its wake.
Tacloban City – known as Yolanda’s “ground zero” – is within the 1st congressional district of Leyte, which Romualdez represents.
More than 11 years later, the super typhoon is known as the most powerful tropical cyclone ever to hit land.