TACLOBAN CITY – Coinciding with the visit of President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday (January 25) to New Hope Village Housing Project in Barangay Sta. Elena, this city, Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez committed to work closely with the national government in projects that would benefit “Yolanda”-hit families in the city.
New Hope Village is a project of the National Housing Authority (NHA) for displaced Yolanda-hit families. It has 1,000 units; 900 units have already been raffled off to beneficiaries while some 500 are now occupied.
Mayor Romualdez said that the city government is putting up satellite offices in resettlement sites to bring much needed services to resettled families while committing to work closely with the national government for the benefit of Yolanda survivors.
Meantime, Mayor said, “… the visit speaks a lot of the government’s thrust to ensure that displaced residents gets decent housing… safer, better living condition.”
“It’s an indication that the national government is there to share the city government’s effort to ensure self-sustaining communities that will nurture future Taclobanons,” she added.
Since assuming office in July 2016, Mayor Romualdez has made the transfer of displaced families to their new homes at the relocation sites as her top priority.
In fact, before the November 8 visit of President Duterte wherein he issued orders to fast track Yolanda projects, the city government-led initiative Caring Giving and Reaching Out has moved close to 3,000 households to the relocation sites.
The city government has also endeavored to bring much needed utilities, like potable water to the sites which lack basic amenities.
President Duterte, during his Wednesday visit, issued a stern warning to government agencies involved in Yolanda rehabilitation to complete the transfer of 14,433 families in Tacloban City from coastal communities to resettlement sites by March of this year.
Mr. Duterte said he is giving officials 15 days to submit the required documents and permits.
“So by March…lahat…March, nandiyan na ‘yan. Tubig, ibigay mo sa tao, libre ‘yan…tapusin niyo ‘yan, 15 days, directors,” ordered Duterte.
“’Pag ayaw mo, I will charge you with neglect of duty…I will charge you administratively, ‘wag na ‘yung criminal charges, matagal eh…I can suspend you, then you’ll go to court,” he added
The President promised to return to Tacloban on March to check on the status of relocation in permanent resettlement sites. (HENRY JAMES G.ROCA/CIO)
