Tent city for storm survivors rising in Cebu

CEBU CITY—A tent city for people who fled the devastation left by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas is taking shape here and will be ready for occupancy this week.

The site for the tent city, however, has no latrines or water supply, according to Ester Concha, head of the city’s Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS).

Concha had inspected the site, which is part of a

3-hectare City Hall block at the South Road Properties, a reclaimed area.

At least 30 of 120 tents that the Philippine Red Cross has promised to put up are now in place.

Concha said these could house 79 families staying at  evacuation centers in the city.

As of today, there are still four evacuation centers operating here—the Tinago Sports Complex, Cogon Ramos Sports Complex, Guadalupe Gym and the Capitol Parish Gym.

Last week, a 30-man team from Red Cross, which promised 120 tents, inspected the tent city site.

The tent city is supposed to have its own water and power supplies, a playground, meeting hall, cooking and dining areas, toilets and bathrooms and laundry areas.

Concha said the DSWS had recorded an increase of Yolanda transients in the city after the closure of evacuation centers in Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City.

Concha said she would meet with social welfare officers of the two cities to discuss how the other cities could help the transients.

“It will be unfair if only Cebu City takes care of all [the evacuees]. I thought we’re helping each other,” she said.

As of Tuesday, Concha said authorities had monitored the return of at least 90 transients to Tacloban and Eastern Samar.