Water supply project for ‘Yolanda’ housing to commence this month

TACLOBAN CITY, Nov. 4 (PNA) –- Three years after super typhoon Yolanda struck, the government will kick off this month the medium-term water supply projects for badly-affected families transferred to relocation sites in this city.\

The city government confirmed that the project will start moving this month following the signing of deal by the local government and the Local Water Utilities Administration.

“It takes time because the government has to check the potential underground water sources,” said city housing and community development office chief Maria Lagman.

Water supply has been tagged as the major setback to government’s effort to relocate more than 14,000 families to their new homes. As of this week, only more than 2,000 houses of the estimated 5,000 completed units have been occupied.

The local government has been delivering 80 tons or 21,521 gallons of water daily to resettlement sites.

“Water is a daily need and we cannot move families there without water,” Lagman added.

The central government earlier approved the proposed PHP152 million for long-term water system, which will take years to complete.

“DBM agreed to release PHP90 million for the medium term solution so we could start the project using underground sources,” she said.

The local government is eyeing to relocate additional 3,000 families once the medium-term water supply project is completed. The target date is early next year.

The city government needs PHP9.8 billion to fully develop the northern relocation sites intended for thousands of families severely affected by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

The government and private sector are putting up PHP4.8-billion investments for the construction of permanent houses alone. (PNA)
LAP/Sarwell Q. Meniano