Yolanda Rehabilitation Is On Track, Says Malacañang

Malacañang Palace Says That Yolanda Rehabilitation Is Currently On Track

YOLANDA REHABILITATION – The Palace assures that the Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery efforts in affected areas are currently on track.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that as of October 30, 100,709 out of 205,128 permanent housing units were completed; with 46,412 units occupied while 54,297 were ready for occupancy, according to National Housing Authority.

Former president Benigno Aquino III also said that the housing need was 205,128 units; and 116,552 was started in 2016, with 35,308 completed. Panelo said that as of December 31, 2017,  ₱i46.156 billion was sent to implementing national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations and local government.

Citing data from the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Special Concerns that oversees the Yolanda rehabilitation projects, Panelo said P146.156 billion was released to implementing national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corporations and local government units as of Dec. 31, 2017.
Photo uplifted from: PhilStar

An article in PhilStar states that the released funds were sorted  housing programs and ancillary basic utilities, says Panelo. He further said that they are addressing issues that caused the delay which include limited availability of titled lands for resettlement; slow processing; and issuance of permits and licenses for construction projects and absence of sustainable livelihood opportunities, among others, in order to speed up resettlement.

Aquino implied that not all foreign assistance pledged arrived and was not for the most part turned over to the government. He further added that there were problems with power and water supply in relocation areas identified as safe but far from low lying areas due to the reason that utility companies did not have enough funding to undertake massive housing projects.

As per the report, Aquino there had been problems with substandard housing because of the people on the ground ,both in the past and current administrations, failed to monitor the implementation. He further added that they have corrected the defects and no housing units that were identified as defective were paid.

The Department of Finance and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are now drafting a joint order to create a one-stop shop facility for relief consignment, Panelo said.

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