HERNANI, Eastern Samar– Lilia Quiñones, 64, separated, of Barangay 1 of this town is excited to transfer to her new home, over three years after her home was totally damaged when super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit their town.
And with her now home, located in Barangay Canceles funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), she will no longer have to live with her sister.
Quinoñes said she will transfer in two weeks with her eight-year-old grandson Abraham.
Enrico Gaveglia, UNDP Philippines’ deputy country manager, led the ceremonial turnover of the 55 housing units to the beneficiaries on Thursday (March 16).
Gaveglia said these houses were part of the UNDP’s Project Recovery in partnership with the European Union (EU) after the devastation wrought by the typhoon on November 8, 2013 in Eastern Visayas.
UNDP’s program works to ensure a model for disaster-resilient resettlement infrastructure.
Beneficiaries were asked to help in the construction of their houses as their sweat equity, giving them a sense of ownership.
UNDP and EU partnership is constructing 165 houses across Tacloban and Ormoc cities and Hernani, Eastern Samar province.
Each unit costs P350,000 with the floor area measuring 35 per square meter.
These are built to withstand strong typhoons. The houses were provided with water-system and electrical support facility.
The program also capacitates the local government units in helping in addressing, shelter, planning and management issues.
The land purchase for the housing and the community evacuation center built nearby was donated by the local government of Marikina in the amount of P2.4million.
The UNDP’s Recovery Project is part of the P508 million EU’s package of assistance to help the efforts of the national and local governments to give a better life to survivors after Yolanda. (VICKY C. ARNAIZ)
