Kuwaiti organization turns over houses to Yolanda victims in Samar

MARABUT, Samar, Jan. 30  – The Kuwait Red Crescent Society has turned over 297 permanent houses to residents of two coastal villages in Marabut, Samar as part of their post-Yolanda humanitarian assistance in central Philippines.

Leading the turnover late Monday afternoon were Kuwait Red Crescent Society deputy president Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer and Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh, to Samar Vice Governor Stephen James Tan, and Marabut Mayor Elizabeth Ortillo.

Of the 297 housing units, 138 are located at the hilltop of Amambucale village while 159 are situated in the interior part of Legaspi village.

The housing project of Kuwaiti Red Crescent is part of the USD9-million donation of Kuwaiti government to Yolanda victims, acting on the request of then Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman in 2014, Al-Sayer recalled.

“Kuwait has always been a good friend to the Philippines that is why the Red Crescent immediately came and supervised the construction of 297 units of houses to help the people of the Philippines,” Al-Sayer said during the ceremony.

Lene Grefil, one of the project recipients from Amambucale village, said the location of housing above the hill was very ideal since it was safe from threats of big waves, but close to fishing grounds.

“It is important that the house is in a higher ground, but not very far from the sea because that is where the source of our livelihood is,” shared Grefil, a mother of two.

Dionisio Ragut, a father of nine from Legaspi village, said that they would no longer need to evacuate during typhoons because their new house was sturdier than their old makeshift house.

“We don’t have to worry anymore if there are heavy rains, typhoons, and tsunami warnings,” Ragut said.

For his part, Vice Governor Tan said the construction of housing units for Yolanda victims was a manifestation of the growing relationship between the Kuwaiti and Philippine governments.

“Even though our place was not highlighted in the media after super typhoon Yolanda, you still noticed us. For us that is very much important and we really appreciate that,” he said.

Tan is proposing the inclusion of the housing units among tourism sites showing the best post-disaster recovery projects in Samar province.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society will also build concrete houses in Logero village, also in Marabut town.

Aside from the housing project, the organization also sent food and non-food items as relief goods, and constructed several school buildings to help the recovery of the education sector in Yolanda-hit Eastern Samar and Samar provinces. (RTA/PNA)