PALO, Leyte — The Office of the President has scheduled consultations in five Eastern Visayas provinces pummeled by super typhoon Yolanda in a bid to update the public on government-led recovery efforts and hear concerns of beneficiaries.
In a meeting held Tuesday at the National Economic Development Authority regional office here, Presidential Assistant Wendel Avisado, said each consultation would invite 120 participants composed of beneficiaries of resettlement projects, local and national government officials, and representatives of civil society organizations.
“We will go to all provinces and our office has allocated budget for these consultations. That’s how serious our President is as he ordered government agencies to provide solutions to all concerns. Let the people know that they are not neglected,” said Avisado, the official tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to oversee Yolanda rehabilitation.
The first leg of series of consultations will be in relocation sites in Tacloban City on March 19 to 20.
It will be followed by dialogues in Guiuan, Eastern Samar (April 3); Balangiga, Eastern Samar (April 4); Basey, Samar (April 10); Carigara, Leyte (April 11); Isabel, Leyte (April 12); Naval, Biliran (April 17); and Silago, Southern Leyte (April 19).
Nearby towns and cities to the venues are invited to the provincial consultations.
The activity will gather issues and concerns encountered by survivors in resettlement sites and convene various government instrumentalities to identify interventions that will ensure sustainability of resettlement projects and improve their quality of life.
After the consultation, the Office of the President expects to formulate the multi-year post-resettlement program for submission and approval of President and inter-agency task force.
The consultation, which was recently completed in Western Visayas, includes reporting of projects status for every cluster, open forum, and ocular inspection of resettlement sites.
The central government has already released PHP146.15 billion for areas ravaged by the 2013 monster typhoon as of end of last year.(Sarwell Meniano/PNA)
