DPWH to complete additional 28 bunkhouses by Feb. 28, says official

MANILA, Philippines — After completing the last of 222 bunkhouses for the survivors of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan) in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Public Works and Highways is building another 28 temporary shelters for the victims of the natural calamity.

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

This was relayed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Thursday by Rolando Asis, director of the DPWH office in Region 8, which has set Feb. 28 as the date of completion for the additional units of temporary shelter.

“This would bring to 250 the total number of bunkhouses, or 6,000 units of temporary shelters for the typhoon victims,” he noted.

Each bunkhouse, which consists of 24 units with a common bathroom and kitchen, costs about P836,000.

The bunkhouses are made of corrugated sheets, plywood and coco lumber. Each unit measures 8.64 square meters.

According to Asis, “another 19 bunkhouses will be put up in Leyte province, followed by six in Western Samar and three in Eastern Samar.”

“We’re talking of an additional 672 units. They will be constructed by the same private contractors who built the 222 bunkhouses,” he said.

The completed temporary shelters are in the following areas: Tacloban City, 51; Ormoc City, 42; Palo town, Leyte, 37; Eastern Samar, 60, and Western Samar, 32.

As of Feb. 9, a total of 135 bunkhouses had been turned over by the DPWH to the Department of Social Services and Development (DSWD).

But “only 52 bunkhouses have been occupied by their recipient families,” Asis disclosed. The DSWD is distributing the temporary shelters to families in the typhoon-ravaged provinces.

Earlier, Asis explained “the construction stage was hampered by bad weather” in the region.

“Continuous heavy rains brought about by the recent tropical depressions delayed the delivery of construction materials, which had to be brought all the way from Metro Manila, Bicol and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao,” he added.

Last month, Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson announced that under the DPWH’s Permanent Shelter Program, typhoon victims would be given construction materials.

Families whose homes were destroyed will get P30,000 worth of building materials while those whose homes were damaged will get P10,000 worth of materials.

Singson also said priority would be given to families living in coastal areas.

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