EU, UNDP give 55 houses to Yolanda-affected families

ORMOC CITY, Philippines — The European Union and the United Nations Development Programme had turned over 55 disaster-resilient houses to Yolanda-displaced families of this city.

EU First Counsellor and Development Cooperation head, Achim Tillessen and UNDP Country Director Titon Mitra led the turnover ceremony of the housing units, built by the affected families themselves.

Tillessen said: “The EU values its strong partnership with the Philippine government, both in the national and local levels, and with UNDP, particularly in helping disaster-affected communities recover.” 

He also said he was “pleased to see the first batch of 55 families completing their houses, which have been designed to be more disaster-resilient,” with the help of EU through the UNDP

Mitra, for his part, thanked the EU for its commitment and support, and to the Ormoc City government for ensuring the smooth implementation of the project.

Each housing unit had been designed to withstand 300-kph winds, thus it will be safe for the occupants to stay indoor in times of typhoons, Mitra said. The beneficiaries’ skills in construction were also enhanced, providing them with the tools for “productive employment” later on, he said.

Mitra also cited the active involvement of former mayor Edward Codilla, who he said contributed much to the project, as a legacy of the past administration to the city.

Dario Cubelo, UNDP-Ormoc Hub area coordinator, said the beneficiaries of the new houses came from 12 disaster-prone barangays of the city. Among them are 10 senior citizens, six are lactating mothers, two are pregnant, five are single-headed households, and one with a serious illness, he said.

A transportation system and a mini-mart will also be established in the resettlement area to address the concerns of residents and school-age children, numbering 94, including those from 6 to 12-year-old bracket. (FREEMAN)