Binay vows no repeat of ‘Yolanda’ suffering

In this Nov. 9, 2013, photo, Supertyphoon “Yolanda” survivors line up for water a day after the devastation in Leyte province. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/INQUIRER

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar—Vice President Jejomar Binay on Thursday promised victims of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” that they would not go through the same suffering under his administration.

He said this during his campaign rally at the provincial capitol gym in Borongan, one of the areas in Eastern Samar severely hit by the supertyphoon in Nov. 8, 2013.

As chair of the National Housing Authority (NHA), Binay said he had to apologize to the victims whom he promised to give shelter because funds had not been released by the national government.

“Sa aking pamumuno, ’di mangyayari yung naranasan ninyo sa Region VIII. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa tapos ang rehabilitation,” Binay said.

“Naging Cabinet member ako, may pera po talaga. ’Yun hong pinangakuan ng bahay, sinasabi ko nga, pasiyensya na po, chairman ako ng NHA ha, hindi ho natin magawa lahat ng dapat gawin dahil sa Yolanda, kasi walang nire-release na pera. Ano bang klaseng gobyerno ito?” he added.

Yolanda, also known as “Haiyan,” is the world’s strongest typhoon to hit land, killing over 6,000 people mostly in Tacloban.

The Vice President lamented that the government was resorting to underspending, at the expense of its beneficiaries, to claim it had a lot of savings.

“Gusto lang mayaman para sabihing mayaman, gusto mayabang na maraming pera. Hindi po ’yan ang tamang pamamahala,” he said.

In a statement on Thursday, Binay also vowed to build 190,000 houses for the victims of Yolanda during his first year in office.

“Sisiguruin kong matapos lahat ng housing projects para sa Yolanda victims sa loob ng unang taon ng aking administrasyon,” he said. RC