TACLOBAN CITY- The answer is simply: No!
Thus said the People’s Surge, an alliance of typhoon survivors on President Aquino’s own version of “I am sorry,” speech.
“No, we do not accept his apologies. For what? So he will be absolved by his sins?” Efleda Bautista, a convenor of the group told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview.
Benedictine Sister Edita Eslopor, spokesperson of the victims, hit Aquino “for insulting the public with an ‘apology’ after four months of the government’s failure in relief and rehabilitation.”
“President Aquino’s ‘apology’ seems to try to get away with his arrogant refusal to take responsibility for four months of hell for the Yolanda survivors,” said Sr. Eslopor said.
“The ‘apology’ is not even directed to us Yolanda survivors, who went to Malacanang in February and got snubbed by the President 100 days after Yolanda struck the region. Yolanda victims have been starving and dying as a result of this government’s ineptness and gross negligence and all he could say was ‘sorry’?” she added.
“The President did not even bother to give us water to drink. Worst, Aquino sent military to meet us. He has no heart for a woman like me, and for the victims,” Eslopor said.
Eslopor maintained that people’s immediate and long-term basic needs must the first priority in any reconstruction.
The group of Espolor had demanded but turned down by the government of P40,000 financial assistance to each family victims; cancelled the no build zone policy and continue to provide food assistance to the victims. (RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The city government here is developing more than 100 hectares permanent relocation site in northern villages to relocate families living in no-build zones, whose houses were completely destroyed by supertyphoon Yolanda.
Mayor Alfred Romualdez said at least 10,000 houses have been pledged by different organizations, about half of the 20,000 target families to be permanently relocated to safer grounds.
“We’re all working together to build better permanent homes. We cannot do this quickly given the extent of devastation, but we are still working in consonance to what we want to happen. We will not allow anyone to risk the lives of their families by building houses in danger zones,” Romualdez told reporters.
The city mayor said that at least 110 hectares have been acquired by the city government in Barangays New Kawayan and Sto. Niño. The city intends to buy 20 more hectares.
Although there were groundbreaking ceremonies held by some donors of housing units, the site is still need to be developed as they have flattened mountainous areas, the mayor said.
“Some of the lots have already been paid for by the city government. Since we are not financially capable now, help from the national government to acquire more lots is welcome,” Romualdez said.
The existing policy on housing projects is that the national government shoulders budget for site development, the local government is tasked to acquire the land, and donors build houses.
Romualdez also asked the Department of Public Works and Highways to deploy heavy equipment to facilitate land preparation activities.
Each housing unit has a lot of 36 square meters and floor area of 22 square meters.
Federico Anido, head of the city disaster risk reduction and management council, said portion of the permanent relocation site will be devoted for commercial development, public places, and roads.
“The new relocation site is very safe from rising sea waters and landslides. We just need to bring investments there for livelihood of housing beneficiaries,” he added.
Ground breaking ceremonies were earlier held by the Habitat for Humanity for 852 homes and the GMA Kapuso Foundation for 400 units.
Earlier, pledges were made by the Red Cross (5,080 houses), Integrative Center for Alternative Development (20 units), Zonta International (20 houses), and Lions Club (10 homes). (SARWELL Q. MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY- Members of the city councils expressed their gratitude to the help extended by the Turkish group Kimse Yok Mu which is among the first group of international groups that provided assistance to the people after the city was hit by the supertyphoon Yolanda.
The group is still in the city continuing their assistance even after it is now more than four months now since Tacloban was pummeled by Yolanda, said Councilors Cristina Gonzales Romualdez and Evangeline Esperas.
According to the two lady councilors, among the help extended by the Turkish group was the repair of the barangay health center in Barangay 61 located at Sagkahan District.
The group also stuffed with medicines and other medical supplies the said barangay health station.
The said health facility was severely damaged during the killer typhoon but with the repair done by the Kimse Yok Mu,”it is more beautiful compare to its previous condition,” the two councilors said.
The group also conducted their own medical and relief missions in different barangays across the city and debris collections.
“They voluntarily came to the city to help us on our rehabilitation efforts and in giving aids to the victims of the typhoons,” Romualdez said.
“The people in the city are very blessed with the support of the Kimse Yok Mu who did not stop on helping the Taclobanons until now,” she added.
She said that they were among the very first international groups to arrive in Tacloban after it was devastated by Yolanda that resulted to the deaths of more than 2,000 people, destruction of houses of more than 55,000 families and destroyed properties worth over P13 billion.
Councilors Esperas said that with the repair of the health center in Brgy.61, its residents would no longer go to other health facilities and to the Tacloban City Hospital.
Esperas also revealed that the repair of the Brgy.61 health center cost P1.5 million. (RYAN GABRIEL LLOSA ARCENAS)

PALO, LEYTE – After more than four months after this town’s main government building sustained severe damages due to supertyphoon Yolanda, it is now fully rehabilitated.
This was announced by Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla who disclosed that the repair of the two-story municipal hall cost P6.7 million.
The funding for the repair of the building was from President Aquino, the mayor added.
The building, one of the landmarks of the town, had just undergone renovation but sustained damages after Yolanda hit the town on November 8, 2013.
The municipal hall’s roof sustained damages while its glass windows were shattered during the typhoon.
“But look at it now, it’s back to its old look before the typhoon. We really worked hard for the municipal building to recover from the devastation,” Mayor Petilla said in an interview.
The mayor, together with other officials of the town, was in the building during the onslaught of Yolanda with hundreds of evacuees staying at the second floor of the building.
Days after the typhoon, the building served as an evacuation center with its grounds built a makeshift hospital treating people who sustained wounds during the typhoon.
Freshly painted walls and ceilings and new glass windows have been noted inside and outside of the building.
Petilla added that they decided to install glass windows but fortified them to minimize damage during similar incidents.
“Reusable” structures and materials from the old building were re-installed to preserve the old look of the building. (AHLETTE C. REYES)