Aklan recovery plan from ‘Yolanda’ onslaught needs P5B, says exec

KALIBO, Aklan—Eight months after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” ravaged Aklan, the province still needs more than P5 billion to fully recover from the typhoon’s onslaught.

In its rehabilitation and recovery plan, the province declared it needs P5,370,882,457.33, including P3.27 billion for the social sector (education and housing), P1.15 billion for infrastructure, P932 million for livelihood and P6.89 million for cross-sectoral programs and assistance.

The plan was submitted to the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery on July 21, according to provincial economic and development officer Roger Esto.

Aklan was among  the provinces worst hit by Yolanda on Nov. 8 last year. Strong winds reaching 300 kilometers per hour destroyed 32,349 houses and damaged 55,168 others in the province. Fourteen people died and 572 were injured in the province, and all its 17 municipalities suffered various degrees of devastation, according to the recovery and rehabilitation plan.

The province’s agriculture sector needs almost P905 million to recover with many crops destroyed and livestock and poultry dead. Among the most severely affected crops were abaca and coconut.

Repair and replacement of fishing boats and gears, postharvest facilities and other infrastructure are also needed.

At least P4.8 million is also needed to repair or replace classrooms, computers, desks, school furniture, instructional materials and books.

Included in the cost of reconstruction are P395 million for flood control and seawall protection, P206 million for power infrastructure, P102 million for roads and P25 million for bridges, according to the province’s post-disaster damages and needs assessment.

Eight months after the super typhoon, survivors whose houses were destroyed or damaged have yet to receive housing assistance.

In northern Cebu, not a single classroom had been rebuilt of the 149 destroyed.