A building in the campus of the University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College is barely standing after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” struck Palo town in Leyte. FILE PHOTO/RUBEN GAMALA
MANILA, Philippines—The release of almost a billion pesos for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 35 state universities and colleges (SUCs) damaged by major calamities in 2013 has been given the green light by the government, a lawmaker said Tuesday.
In a statement, Pasig Representative Roman Romulo said the budget worth P987.3 million was authorized for release to 35 SUCs damaged due to super typhoon “Yolanda,” (international name: Haiyan) the Zamboanga city siege and the Bohol earthquake.
Of the 35 SUCs, at least 19 were damaged by “Yolanda,” known as the world’s strongest typhoon to hit land, said Romulo, who chairs the House’s higher and technical education committee.
“These 19 SUCs damaged by “Yolanda” alone support the schooling of more than 157,000 students, so we really have to help them fully rebuild their facilities and services as soon as possible,” he said.
The SUCs damaged by “Yolanda” are: Eastern Samar State University (Borongan City), Eastern Visayas State University (Tacloban City), Visayas State University (Baybay City), Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College (Estancia, Iloilo), Capiz State University (Roxas City).
University of the Philippines-Manila School of Health Sciences (Palo, Leyte), Romblon State University (Odiongan, Romblon), Palompon, Institute of Technology (Palompon, Leyte), University of Antique (Sibalom, Antique), Aklan State University (Banga, Aklan), Iloilo State University of Science and Technology (Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo), Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (Iloilo City).
Cebu Normal University (Medellin, Cebu), Cebu Technological University (Bantayan and Camotes Islands, Cebu), Leyte Normal University (Tacloban City), Naval State University (Naval, Biliran), University of the Philippines-Visayas Tacloban College (Tacloban City), Samar State University (Catbalogan City), and Southern Leyte State University (Sogod, Southern Leyte).
The major calamities that rocked the country last year were super typhoon “Yolanda,” which left over 6,000 people dead when it hit Central Philippines in November; the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted Bohol and other nearby provinces in October; and the Zamboanga City siege at the hands of rogue Moro National Liberation Front members in September, that left over 200 dead.
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