How ‘Yolanda’ Survivors in Tanauan Got Ahead of Building Back Better

Tanauan, Leyte – Barely two years after Typhoon Yolanda ravaged Eastern Visayas, survivors from this 2nd class town are slowly showing signs of full recovery.

One clear sign is the building of safer communities in various relocation sites around town.

Town Mayor Pel Tecson said that as a leader of the town, he believes that recovery starts by rebuilding damaged houses. He added that having a roof over their heads offers a sense of normalcy.

One strategy he implemented was the provision of shelter assistance to the affected families through the distribution of construction materials to repair their damaged roofs.

Mayor Tecson said that he did not build bunkhouses for his constituents. Instead, he focused on building permanent homes.

“Every vacant lot in the town became a potential relocation site. We saw the need to transfer the survivors to safer homes,” Mayor Tecson said.

According to the mayor, there are four resettlement sites in the town. Around 1,800 permanent houses will be constructed in these sites with 800 units as the immediate target.

“Of the 800, we have already turned over 400 units so we are already halfway through,” Mayor Tecson said.

The mayor shared that some 181 families from the coastal villages of Bislig and Cabuynan have already transferred to the relocation site in Barangay Sacme.

“Documentation was never a problem. We made sure first that the families were safe. They can submit the requirements once they are settled,” Mayor Tecson said.

Mayor Tecson expressed that while relocations sites in other LGUs are beset with the problem of lack of water supply, in Tanauan, water is delivered to the homeowners for free.

He also made sure that relocation sites are not far from the sources of livelihood of the survivors.

“Our relocation sites are 1.5 to 2 kilometers away from the town proper to ensure that the families can continue with their livelihood,” he said.

For instance, the fishermen who used to live in Barangay San Roque are now in Barangay Pago, which is still near their original place. They can still go fishing, after which they can go home to their safer homes.

Some 225 families are now residing at the Pago Resettlement Site.

DSWD as a partner

Mayor Tecson opined that the road to recovery is long and challenging, but he attributed the town’s initial success to the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which provided livelihood support through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

Under the SLP, pedicab and tricycle drivers grouped together and were provided capital assistance to start their chosen livelihood projects. Even senior citizens availed of SLP assistance, on top of the Social Pension.

A number of beneficiaries were also assisted through SLP’s Cash for Building Livelihood Assets (CBLA) where they were paid cash in exchange for restoring community facilities.

Aside from SLP, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is also implemented in the area with 2,790 beneficiaries.

Starting anew

Jenny Redubla, 44, is thankful that they have transferred to Barangay Pago.

“Doon sa dati naming lugar, kapag nakakarinig kami ng tunog ng daluyong lalo na sa gabi ay bumabalik ang takot namin. Mas ligtas na kami dito (In our old place, we always hear the sound of big waves which further aggravates our trauma. We are safer here),” Jenny said.

Jenny added that she has revived her chorizo buy and sell business. She now earns P2,500 per month from this which is on top of the cash grants her family is receiving as a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilya.

As her way of paying back the help her family is receiving, she actively participates in various community projects like those implemented through the DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

One lesson she learned from ‘Yolanda’ is to keep the environment and the community clean.

“Ngayon pag may nagkakalat ng basura, pinagsasabihan ko (Now, when I see someone littering, I chide him or her),” she said.

Building back better

For Mayor Tecson, Tanauan is not only building back but it is building back better.

“Kita mo naman ang hitsura e ‘pag nasa eroplano ka (On a plane, you can see the difference),” Mayor Pecson proudly related.

Source: www.dswd.gov.ph