CARIGARA, Leyte- Mayor Eduardo Ong of this town dismissed claim that he had ordered to bar survivors of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ from attending a recent gathering which tackled issues concerning on the rehabilitation relative to the deadly typhoon that hit the region in 2013.
The town served as a host on a consultation on Yolanda-related rehabilitation effort on April 11 which was attended by Usec. Wendell Avisado, the presidential advisor on special concerns and oversight office on Yolanda rehabilitation.
According to Ong, their only concern at the same event was only to provide the venue of the gathering initiated by the regional office of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
The Yolanda survivors have wanted to attend the gathering, held at the municipal hall, to personally relay to Avisado issues affecting them like on the housing project and livelihood assistance.
Ong said that the housing concern of the survivors is better addressed to the National Housing Authority as they claimed that they have yet to be given documents showing proof of ownership and they have to destroy their current houses, located in unsafe areas, once they transferred to the resettlement sites.
As to providing livelihood assistance to them, the issue is better addressed to the Departments of Trade and Industry and the Social Welfare and Development.
Avisado, after the meeting, went outside the venue to meet the Yolanda survivors as he assured them that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte will continue to help them like providing them housing units, among others.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
