While rehabilitation efforts are very much needed in war-torn Marawi City, the Duterte administration should not consider reconstruction work in Yolanda-stricken areas to be over, research group Ibon Foundation said Saturday. Nearly four years after Typhoon Yolanda, only 16,846 housing units or only 30 percent have been completed out of 56,140 permanent houses targeted to be built in Yolanda-stricken areas in Eastern Visayas. Moreover, out of the completed units only 12,763 have been given to Yolanda-stricken families. Still in progress are 11,957 units or 21.29 percent, according to data from the Region VIII National Economic and Development Authority. “Major obstacles identified by the government were surmountable, if only government prioritized resettling the victims and rebuilding their lives and livelihoods,” Guzman said.

Source: The Standard November 04, 2017 14:26 UTC