LAPU-LAPU CITY—Evacuees who fled Leyte after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” hit the province could not stay in Cebu forever.
Rosemarie Salazar, a social welfare officer from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), made the statement following the arrival of more evacuees from Tacloban City.
An additional 1,366 evacuees from Tacloban City arrived in Cebu on Monday aboard the Philippine Navy’s LC-550, which docked at the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) base in Barangay (village) Looc in this city.
The regional DSWD office has recorded the arrival of at least 6,000 evacuees since Nov. 15. Most of them were transported by Philippine Navy vessels while others came aboard C-130 planes of the Philippine Air Force.
Salazar said some of the evacuees had requested to be transported directly to the port of Cebu or the airport so they could board vessels and aircraft bound for Manila.
But for those who had nowhere to go, they could stay at 14 designated evacuation centers in this city and in Cebu City, she said.
“They will temporarily stay at the evacuation centers. While there, we are conducting different activities for them until they finalized their plans,” Salazar said.
“They cannot stay at the evacuation centers forever,” Salazar said.
More than 8,000 evacuees are housed at Gun-ob National High School (91 evacuees), Barangay Looc gymnasium (154), Barangay Babag gymnasium (157) and Suba-basbas gymnasium (200) in Lapu-Lapu City; Barangay Tinago gymnasium (7,240), Guadalupe gymnasium (78), Capitol Parish Sports Complex (65), Barangay Ramos gymnasium (121) and Barangay San Roque gymnasium (36) in Cebu City; and Barangay Banilad gymnasium (15) in Mandaue City.
Salazar said different organizations, including local government units, provided meals for the evacuees.
Thousands are fleeing Tacloban City after virtually the entire city was flattened by Yolanda and after chaos and lawlessness followed the disaster.
Stores had been looted and residents feared criminals on the loose could next target homes as police have not made their presence felt in the city.