DSWD 7 to Send Yolanda Victims Back Home

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 and the Cebu City government have finally decided to send back to Leyte and Samar all Yolanda victims who are temporarily housed at the tent city along South Road Properties (SRP).

The final signal came after the national government announced its completion on the construction of all housing facilities such as bunkhouses, water, electricity and roads.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has earlier announced that they are ready to provide cash aids to all the 23 families whom they asked to leave for Leyte and Samar.

The said families arrived here last December to seek shelter and livelihood after their houses in Leyte and Samar were washed away by super typhoon Yolanda last November 8, 2013.

Rama said it is sad to note that said families have preferred to stay here in Cebu City than return to their original home provinces in Leyte and Samar.

The main reason why they are hesitant to go back to their provinces was their trauma when they lost everything, that includes their houses and means of livelihood after the typhoon.

However, the DSWD officials had insisted to send them back home because, aside from the cash aids to be given by both the local and national governments, they are provided with bunkhouses for them to live in their homelands in Leyte and Samar.

The city government has finally given the evacuees up to March 31 to stay at the tent city in SRP, and they will be forced to leave after that deadline, Mayor Rama said.

Image Credit: cebudailynews.inquirer.net