PALO, Leyte,
April 29 (PNA) -- The chief of the National Economic Development Authority
(NEDA) is hoping that the next administration will continue the rehabilitation
of areas ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
During his
visit to this town on Friday, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Emmanuel
Esguerra said all projects in central Philippines are now ongoing and
“proceeding well.”
“I cannot
speak for the next government. We hope it will continue because there’s still
work to be done,” Esguerra told reporters in a brief interview on the sidelines
of NEDA regional office building inauguration here.
The official
emphasized the need to focus on addressing gaps in housing projects.
“There are
some challenges with respect to identifying housing sites that are both safe to
dwell on as well as conducive for other family activities,” Esguerra said.
“Reconstruction
is very challenging and will take time, but the focus is on improving the lives
of survivors and building resilient communities,” he added.
The
Department of Budget and Management reported that Php140.07 billion funds have
been allocated for Yolanda-hit communities as of end of last year.
Of the
total, Php26.74 billion have been allotted for 2013, Php36.72 billion for 2014,
Php30.41 billion for 2015 and proposed Php46.2 billion for this year.
In April
2015, President Benigno S. Aquino III, through Memorandum Order No. 79,
transferred the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of all
disaster-related projects from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for
Rehabilitation and Recovery to NEDA.
Aquino
approved in October 2014 the P167.9-billion Comprehensive Rehabilitation and
Recovery Plan (CRRP), consolidating the government’s commitment to rebuild
typhoon-hit areas.
The plan
outlines the government’s commitment to implement more than 25,000 specific
rehabilitation and recovery plans and programs and activities worth Php167.9
billion.
LDV/SQM
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