DSWD-7 to turn over evac centers to city

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development 7 will no longer be handling the evacuation centers for Internally Displaced Persons from typhoon-torn Leyte and Samar provinces come December.

“We are currently preparing for the turnover because DSWD will pull out from supervising the evacuation centers after November 30. They will hand the responsibility of  looking after these centers to local government units particularly the city and the barangays,” said Cebu City Department of Social Welfare Services chief  Ester Concha.

From the original seven, four evacuation centers are currently operating in Cebu City located in Cogon Ramos, Capitol Parish, Tinago and Guadalupe.

An orientation will be held today for disaster preparedness especially for those who are manning the centers, Concha said.

In order to empower the IDPs in preparation for their return to their home towns, DSWD will soon start its food for work program where transients will get to earn from rendering work for the government.

Implementation of  the food for work program will start immediately after DSWD pulls out from handling the temporary shelters.

Cebu City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella has urged government agencies to take part in providing necessary skills and livelihood training for these transients to bring along with them as they return to their regular lives in their respective home towns for them to stop relying on dole-outs provided by private and government organizations.

Labella wants to involve the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, the city’s DMDP, barangays with effective livelihood programs like Bo. Luz and Basak-Pardo to extend their livelihood education programs to the evacuees in Cebu City to help them maximize their time.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also appealed to suppliers and business establishments to be sensitive enough and not take advantage of the emergency situation and indiscriminately increase the price of basic commodities and housing materials especially in storm-damaged areas violating the constant reminders of DTI and other agencies to continue implementing the price range provided.

“Pareho ra man ta mga Pilipino. Dili nato abusaran ang sitwasyon,” Rama said.

He also plans to meet with Cebu  City  Chamber of  Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the DTI should reports on opportunistic and improper price increase persist. (FREEMAN)