LAOAG CITY – The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has partnered with the National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in rehabilitating housing units in the province, which were damaged by Typhoon “Ompong” (Mangkhut) about two weeks ago.
An owner of a house totally damaged by the typhoon may receive PHP30,000 worth of shelter assistance from the provincial government and PHP10,000 for partially damaged house.
The typhoon damaged around 2,000 houses in the province.
NHA has earmarked PHP3.8 million to the shelter assistance while DSWD shared an additional amount.
The Ilocos Norte government has formed “Team Balay”, a group of volunteers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservists, engineers and carpenters to help typhoon victims in putting up galvanized iron sheets to their roofings.
While trying to get more help from other public and private donors, Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos appealed to all residents to be more patient and help each other to rise again. She likewise thank the untiring efforts of volunteers and the generous donors, both from public and private organizations, for their quick response.
For village chief Oliver Balite of Naglicuan, Pasuquin town, the province is lucky to be included as one of the recipients of the shelter assistance program.
“We are grateful for the government’s quick response. For the first time, a government team came to visit us and asked for our needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, a relocation site is also being studied as of the moment for residents in high-risk areas to settle.
According to Marcos, the relocation site will be made available for free for evacuees, who are being constantly moved every time a calamity hit the province.
“Let us continue to help each other as there are more solutions than our problems,” she said. (Leilanie Adriano/PNA)
