Manila, Philippines — The Aquino administration said it is determined to carry out rebuilding and rehabilitation efforts in areas affected by typhoon “Yolanda” and appealed to all sectors to work together.
In a radio interview Saturday over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Aquino administration had not lost its sense of urgency and would not waver in its rebuilding initiatives.
“Ibayong determinasyon ang hinaharap natin diyan. At panawagan din sa lahat na pagtulungan natin ito; dapat pagtulungan ito ng pambansa at lokal na pamahalaan (More determination is needed there. We are calling on everybody, let us help each other. This is a task where the national and local governments should work together),” he said, adding that civic organizations and individuals who were not affected by the calamity should also help.
Coloma explained that there is an extreme sense of urgency in continuing the recovery and rebuilding efforts in the affected areas of super typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).
He said that anyone with suggestions or proposals on how to improve rehabilitation efforts are very much welcome.
With regards to groups calling for a dialogue with Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, Coloma said the secretary is ready to meet with these groups to discuss relief efforts in affected communities.
He said that since the disaster struck, Secretary Soliman had observed a hands-on approach to help the survivors.
But he said that the public should also consider the magnitude of the problem since typhoon Yolanda affected 44 provinces and 171 municipalities and cities. Overall, there were some 17 million people devastated by the typhoon.
Coloma noted that the amount of rehabilitation work involved the establishment of permanent housing projects for the Yolanda survivors, relocating residents in low-lying or hazardous areas to a much safer place, and the continuous giving of relief to those living in the evacuation or temporary shelters.
Four months after the disaster, the government remains determined to rebuild affected areas, the Palace official said. He noted, however, that because of the severity of the problem, there are areas that may not get enough help.
And the government needs public assistance to get information from areas not receiving sufficient government support, he said.
“Maibigay lang po ‘yan sa atensyon ng ating pamahalaan ay sisikapin namang punuan kung anuman ang pagkukulang (If the government is notified about these areas, we will try to fill whatever those deficiencies are),” he said. (source: Philippine News Agency)
