Raising roofs in 2014

When 2014 goes in full swing starting today, the Cebu provincial government and its partner agencies and private sector volunteers will have their hands full carrying out a P26.8-billion rehabilitation plan in areas badly hit by supertyphoon “Yolanda” in northern Cebu.

The challenge will start with securing funding from the national government “because if it’s just us here in the province, we cannot do it alone,” said Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.

He said the Capitol will send its rehabilitation and recovery program to Panfilo Lacson, the country’s rehabilitation czar appointed by President Aquino. The plan was approved by the Regional Development Council (RDC) two weeks ago.

“Hopefully we will get funds from the national government,” said Davide, who is also chairman of the administration’s Liberal Party in Cebu province.

The biggest share of the recovery plan’s budget or P23.6 billlion will be used for rebuilding houses and resettlement areas, followed by the cost implementing the rehabilitation plan at P1.2 billion.

Recovery efforts will focus on 15 towns and Bogo City in north Cebu where damage to agriculture, infrastructure, utilities, livelihood and social infrastructure was estimated at P4.14 billion.

Daanbantayan town was the worst hit with P1.5 billion in damage followed by San Remigio at P632 million and Bogo City at P330 million, based on the province’s damage assessment report.

Others affected municipalities were Bantayan town, Sta. Fe and Madridejos in Bantayan Island, the towns of Pilar, Poro, San Francisco and Tudela in Camotes Island, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Tabogon, Borbon, Sogod and Medellin.

Davide earlier released Executive Order (EO) 14 creating Task Force Paglig-on to oversee rehabilitation efforts undertaken by the Capitol, the government’s regional line agencies, local government units (LGUS) and both local and foreign groups.

He also appointed Baltazar Tribunalo, an internationally renowned expert on disaster preparedness who used to work with the United Nations (UN) Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), to lead the task force.

The taskforce’s nine clusters, have been meeting weekly and held a one-day workshop to lay down plans on how to approach the massive rehabilitation work.

BOTTOMS UP

Tribunalo said the “bottoms up approach” will directly involve affected familiesin the process through consultations.

The program will follow the “Build Back Better” principle so that damaged houses and infrastructure are replaced by structures that can withstand earthquakes and storms.

The work is not just about rebuilding homes, he said.

Local governments down to the barangay level will be taught how to be disaster-ready and all stakeholders shall have a “clear understanding of their roles”, including individuals and families.

SERIES OF DISASTERS

When Davide started his first term in July he was immediately faced with a series of large-scale disasters.

In August, two ships collided off the coast of Talisay, killing hundreds of passengers of the M/V Thomas Aquinas which was hit in the rear by the Sulpicio Express Siete. An oil spill reached Mactan island, damaging a wide swath of mangroves.

This was followed by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that rocked Cebu and Bohol in October. The tremblor badly damaged several heritage churches in south Cebu and other infrastructure.

In Nov. 8, supertyphoon “Yolanda” with winds up to 350 kph, made landfall in north Cebu. A total of 73 deaths were reported. Bantayan island, one of the worst hit, saw 80 percent to 90 percent of its houses and public buildings ruined.

A total of 121,000 houses across Cebu were damaged or destroyed, according to provincial disaster office.

With this, Davide said he will focus on strengthening the province’s disaster response and preparedness programs with an P108-million budget in the 2014 annual budget.

The fund will be used for the purchase of new equipment and supplies for the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and the training and capacity building of its personnel.

“The challenges had been tough but we were able to manage those things,” said Davide in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

The separate P28 billion recovery program will be aligned with Davide’s priorities on food security, education and skills training, health, economic opportunities and countryside development, environmental enhancement and disaster preparedness and good governance.

The biggest share of the fund or P23.6 billlion will be used for rebuilding houses and resettlement areas, followed by the cost implementing the rehabilitation plan at P1.2 billion.

For livelihood programs and emergency employment, the Capitol allocated P558 million. Another P478 million is for repair of infrastructure.

Meanwhile, P853 million is needed for the repair of schools and health facilities in north Cebu while social development programs will need P25 million. Another P46 million is needed for utilities.

Based on the plan, the Capitol will focus on four areas starting with rebuilding damaged houses in affected communities in coordination with government agencies and private donors.

Materials will be given for permanent housing as well as helter repair kit. , it will also need to set up “safer relocation sites” for new schools and hospital facilities.

Livelihood opportunities will also be provided to ensure continuity of economic and business activities in typhoon-stricken areas.

The focus will be on providing capital investment access to grants and emergency credit, technical assistance for crop and animal-based agriculture services, cottage industries, retail and trade, tourism and a systems approach on integrated farming, eco-based fisheries and coastal resources development. /Peter L. Romanillos, Correspondent