Interior Secretary Mar Roxas: P4 billion for reconstruction INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—The government has earmarked P4 billion for the immediate repair and reconstruction of public markets and civic centers that were destroyed when Super Typhoon Yolanda tore through the Visayas more than two months ago, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said on Sunday.
Roxas flew to Leyte province Sunday to check on the situation of the government-led rehabilitation projects in the towns of Palo and Tanauan, two of the hardest-hit areas in the province.
He said the budget would cover the rehabilitation of municipal halls that were destroyed during the storm.
“The markets, municipal halls and civic centers in all areas ravaged by the typhoon will be repaired. They are the centers of trade and commerce,” Roxas said.
“(These structures) are the centers of activities in each town. The local government units should not worry about it because the national government will finance the repairs,” he said.
He said Leyte Gov. Dominic Petilla and other local officials told him of the importance of the public facilities.
The reconstruction of the local government centers would also ease the recovery efforts, Roxas added.
The interior secretary said the budget for the repair of the public buildings was included in the P40-billion proposed budget of the Aquino administration for the rehabilitation of typhoon-wrecked communities.
Roxas assured that the government would fast-track the reconstruction of public markets and civic centers without compromising their structural integrity and quality.
“We’ll make sure that the reconstruction of these facilities would be completed this year. Right now, the municipal engineers are working closely with the Department of Public Works and Highways to ensure that the structures will be sturdy,” he said.
He said President Aquino had directed the local chief executives to submit a report on the status of the public buildings in their areas to help the national government determine the financial assistance they needed.
“But it (report) has to be validated. The President also wants to ensure that the buildings will be strong enough to withstand (future natural disasters),” he said.
During his visit, Roxas said he also saw the need for the immediate construction of permanent shelters for the thousands of typhoon victims left homeless by Yolanda.
“The national government is doing its best, but it would really take some time to construct permanent shelters,” he said.
Foreign aid workers and volunteers helping in the rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban City had earlier disclosed that the bunkhouses, which the DPWH built, failed to comply with international standards, raising suspicions of corruption in the multibillion-peso housing project.