Left photo: DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo (5th from left) with President Rodrigo Duterte, other cabinet officials, and local executives during a visit in Tacloban City to inspect the permanent housing project for the survivors of Supertyphoon Yolanda.
Right photo: A look into the New Hope Village, the permanent housing project of the National Housing Authority (NHA) in Brgy. Sta Elena, Tacloban City for ‘Yolanda’ survivors.

Tacloban City, Leyte – Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo joined President Rodrigo R. Duterte and other cabinet officials here yesterday to inspect the New Hope Village, a permanent housing project by the National Housing Authority (NHA) located at Barangay Sta. Elena for Supertyphoon Yolanda survivors.

Other cabinet officials present during the event were Cabinet Sec. Leoncio Evasco, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Sec. Mark Villar, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP) Chairman Terry Ridon, and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sec. Ramon Lopez.

Together with the President and other cabinet officials, Sec. Taguiwalo witnessed the distribution of Certificates of Eligibility for Lot Allocation (CELAs) to the beneficiaries.

A short program was conducted during the team’s visit to the site where Pres. Duterte gave a short speech.

In his message, the President emphasized the importance of honest public service. He lauded the kind of work showed by Cabinet Sec. Evasco and DSWD Sec. Taguiwalo, who, he said, are striving to create programs for the betterment of lives of the Filipino people.

For his part,  Sec. Evasco highlighted the efforts of the DSWD in validating the beneficiaries of the P5,000 financial assistance from the President for survivors who have not received any shelter assistance either from the government or any non-government organization (NGO).

Visiting newly-resettled survivors

Hours before Pres. Duterte’s arrival to the site, Sec. Taguiwalo visited the newly – resettled ‘Yolanda’-survivors to ask about how they are rebuilding their lives after the tragedy three years ago.

Among those she visited were couples Eterna Delvo, 38, and Gerald Sanoria, 40, who were formerly from Sagcahan District. The couple shared that their lives are getting better now that they have relocated to the new housing project.

Sec. Taguiwalo said that the housing project is a “work in progress” as there are still almost 200 more units to be built in order to complete the target 1,000 shelters. To date, there are already 811 completed units within the village.

The welfare chief also clarified that the P5, 000 financial aid announced by President Duterte in November last year was intended for some 200,000 ‘Yolanda’-survivors in the country; of which, 61, 916 are coming from the region. The financial aid will require a budget of P309, 580, 000.

According to Sec. Taguiwalo, the financial assistance is meant to give justice to survivors who have been fighting for three years to get the Emergency Shelter Assistance (ESA) from the government but were not able to avail.

Supertyphoon Yolanda hit the country on November 8, 2013, causing catastrophic damage in the Visayas Region, mostly in the islands of Leyte. ###

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