Tent evacuees get plywood as floors to keep them dry

TACLOBAN CITY—Belinda Guinoonohan and her family can now sleep soundly at night, even when it rains.

They no longer have to sleep on a damp floor in their makeshift tent in San Jose District, their home since Nov. 8 when Supertyphoon “Yolanda” brought this city to its knees.

Her family was among the 1,000 families from Barangays 88, 89 and 90 who each received marine plywood that they used as flooring for their tents.

Each 4-meter-by-8-meter plywood is three-fourth inch thick and is donated by Urban Poor Associates (UPA) and Christian Aid.

Guinoonohan, 43, mother of 10 children, said they used to sleep on thin scraps of wood that they collect and put together in the tent.

But it would get damp and cold when it rains, she said. They have to sleep on chairs during rains or wait for the rain to stop.

Guinoonohan said she was happy to receive the plywood because “we can now sleep soundly.”

She said her husband would work on the flooring for the family tent.

The donation was timely as this city is being pummeled by rains.

Alicia Murphy, UPA field director, said she believed the plywood materials were a big help to families still living in tents.

She said recipients of the plywood could bring the material to their permanent shelters.

“This is a solution for now. The people don’t want to stay near the ocean nor do they want to stay in a temporary house forever,” she said.

Help continues to pour in for victims of Yolanda here.

At least 4,000 people from Barangay 80, also in San Jose, received food packs from Junior Chamber International (JCI).

Shine Bhaskaran, JCI president, said he was saddened by what he saw in the village during the distribution of food packs.

But he added that  he believed Tacloban residents would be able to recover from the tragedy.

“We should have that confidence to build Tacloban into a better place,” he said.