‘Yolanda’ victims prefer bunkhouses to ‘evac’ centers

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines—Amid the controversy over the construction of the bunkhouses, evacuees of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in this city prefer to stay at the controversial structures rather than remain at the evacuation centers.

“It’s been more than two months since the typhoon. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) promised to relocate us to the bunkhouses. We are no longer comfortable here considering that classes have now resumed,” said Lorna Trinidad.

Lorna, her husband Rolando and their seven children have been staying at the Rizal Central School in Tacloban City since Yolanda destroyed their house on Nov. 8 last year.

No free movement

“We cannot move freely. We cannot sleep comfortably as we share the same room with three other families,” she told the Inquirer.

According to Lorna, 325 families or 1,950 persons are staying inside the three buildings of the school.

They also have to leave the classrooms in the morning while classes are being held and stay in the tents outside the school buildings, and return to the rooms only after classes, based on an agreement between the school administration and the DSWD.

At present, there are 1,038 families or 6,228 individuals staying in evacuation centers across this city.

Aside from the Rizal Elementary School, the other evacuation centers are: the Kapangian Central School (92 families); Leyte National High School (82); Sagkahan National High School (7); San Fernando Central School (328); San Jose Central School (46), People’s Center and Library (103); and the Tacloban City Convention Center or Astrodome (55).

Sleeping with dogs, hogs

While the evacuees were provided with drinking water by various organizations like the Oxfam International, Philippine Red Cross and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the sanitation among the evacuees is in question because some of them have brought with them their dogs, chickens and even hogs that also sleep inside the rooms.

Tacloban City Administrator Tecson John Lim called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fast-track the construction of the bunkhouses.

In Tacloban City, the DPWH is constructing 52 bunkhouses—eight in Abucay District, 17 in Sagkahan area and 27 at the National Diversion Road-Motocross area.

The construction of these bunkhouses, considered to be just temporary dwellings for those who lost their homes, has been criticized for allegedly being substandard and overpriced.

Rehabilitation czar former Sen. Panfilo Lacson has conducted an investigation on the allegations after international humanitarian groups found the bunkhouses too cramped.

Architect and urban planner Jun Palafox called them substandard and undersized.

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