CATBALOGAN CITY -- The Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official overseas relief and development agency of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, officially ended its 24-month Typhoon Yolanda recovery program in Tacloban City, Leyte.
For their two years stay in Tacloban, the CRS and the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), in partnership with local officials, restored normalcy and built safe shelter to 3,275 families in 24 of the city’s coastal villages.
For those who lost their homes completely, “the program provided new shelters and built up new communities for relocation. The residents of these new homes have been trained to expedite their recovery, engage in their new community and claim their right to a life of dignity,” said Greg Auberry, CRS East and South Asia regional director, in last Thursday’s ceremony.
Auberry said the residents also received repair kits for their damaged homes, including materials to build new roofs. Assistance also came in the form of apartment or land rental subsidies and support to those who found temporary host families.
Beyond the housing assistance, USAid and CRS launched water, sanitation and hygiene, and disaster risk reduction activities throughout Tacloban City.
The program installed more than 1,000 toilets, trained over 3,000 individuals in hygiene promotion and restored access to safe water for over 200 families in the city.
USAid and CRS also trained 4,000 people in evacuation drills and initiated the planting of 5,000 square meters of mangroves, to help the city become more resilient to the impact of typhoons and other natural disasters.
The program has also built 15 structures throughout the city, such as playgrounds and a new community center.
“The resilience and determination of the people of Leyte to recover and build back better truly inspire all of us. The American people, through USAid, will continue to work with our friends in the Philippines to help rebuild this region better and stronger,” said Ben Hemingway of the USAid's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance.
Liezel Corales, president of the relocation site in Barangay Utap, received a new home through the program.
“After the typhoon, my family and I stayed in an evacuation center for nine months. Through the Typhoon Haiyan Recovery Program, we now have a home to call our own,” Corales said.
In her role as president of the barangay, Corales coordinates with the local government to gain access to clean water and electricity, manage waste and make use of other basic public services.
Tacloban City officials led by councilor Christina Romualdez, who was present during the December 3 closing ceremony along with CRS Country Representative Joseph Curry, thanked the donors for the assistance and other relief given to her constituents.
To date, the US government has provided approximately $143 million to help the Philippines respond to and recover from the devastating effects of Typhoon Yolanda.
In addition to the humanitarian assistance, USAid supports rehabilitation and recovery in the typhoon-affected areas, particularly in Leyte Province. USAid assistance restores access to education, health services, and livelihood activities. (Sunnex)