Bunkhouses in Iloilo redesigned

ILOILO CITY—Bunkhouses being put up for survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in two towns in Iloilo province have also come under fire for not having enough ventilation and living space.

Each unit, which measures  2 x 3 meters and has a small window, could not house a family of five, said Jerry Bionat, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer.

Bionat quoted members of international relief agencies, whom he did not identify, as expressing apprehension over the poor ventilation in the bunkhouses. “They are concerned that the evacuees will be more vulnerable to diseases,” he said.

Relief agencies have also taken issue with the bunkhouses being constructed by private contractors tapped by the DPWH in Leyte and Eastern Samar provinces, saying these were substandard and overpriced.

Following the complaints in Iloilo, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is revising the design of the bunkhouses being built in Estancia and Concepcion, which were among the towns worst hit by Yolanda.

Edilberto Tayao, DPWH regional director, said the new unit would measure 4.8 x 3.5 meters, but added that the number of units would be reduced because of the size increase.

In Estancia, the government plans to build bunkhouses for at least 100 families that lost their houses when Yolanda struck. Their communities, which were 40 meters from the shoreline, have been declared no-build zones.

The bunkhouses cost P835,000 each and are made of galvanized iron sheets, plywood and concrete.