Leyte governor welcomes Lacson appointment

Former Sen. Panfilo Lacson. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominic Petilla said he is looking forward to former senator Panfilo Lacson’s work as “rehabilitation czar” of areas hard-hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” last month.

“It’s positive news that the government will help in the rehabilitation by assigning somebody as rehabilitation czar,” Petilla said Wednesday, in a news release posted by the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The governor said he expects the recovery process in Eastern Visayas, including Leyte, to speed up with Lacson leading the efforts.

He is hoping the former senator will work closely with his brother Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, who was designated as coordinator of the rehabilitation operations.

In the meantime, Petilla said they are studying options on how to transport 300 million tons of galvanized iron sheets to help residents rebuild their homes. They have already delivered 7,000 sheets from private donors to Tanauan, Leyte and Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Leyte is among the provinces ravaged by the typhoon’s storm surges, leaving at least 2,116 people dead in Tacloban City alone.

Deadly storm surges and wind brought by the typhoon left 598,815 houses totally destroyed and more than 600,000 more damaged.

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