The national government, through Malacañang Palace stated that they did not waste money even if the bunkhouses built for residents displaced by the 2013 super typhoon “Yolanda” and were reportedly destroyed by Bagyong Ruby.
According to deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, the Yolanda bunkhouses were intended to be temporary structures and were built to withstand winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour (kph). The issue of the government misusing the funds for the bunkhouses was raised through a statement made by Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez.
The national government noted that the government is focused on helping residents find permanent shelter. The Presidential spokesperson was quoted as saying “Unang-una, hindi po tayo nagsayang ng pera dahil meron naman pong mga nabiktimang nakagamit ‘nung iba dito. At pangalawa, again, by their very nature, temporary po ‘yan at ang sabi nga ho ni [Public Works] Secretary [Rogelio] Singson ay ‘yung pagtayo po niyan, they’re designed to withstand winds of 150 kilometers per hour. Ngayon nagkataon ay medyo mas malakas ho ‘yung dumaan doon sa mga lugar na ‘yon,” she said.
According to DPWH, out of the total 228 bunkhouses in Eastern Visayas, 50 them in Tacloban, 50 in Palo, Leyte, 46 in Ormoc City, 31 in Samar and 55 in Eastern Samar.
Each bunkhouse built by DPWH, consists of 24 units with a common bathroom and kitchen, costing around P838,000. The bunkhouses are made of corrugated sheets, plywood and coconut lumber, each unit measured 8.64 meters.
According to an earlier statement by the DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, the government would need at least P15 billion for the construction of temporary shelters for the typhoon survivors.