Initial construction of 28 duplex houses for Guinsaugon survivors underway

By ERNA SY GORNE, PIA-Southern Leyte
April 22, 2006

SAINT BERNARD, Southern Leyte –  A partial set of some 56 houses from a 28 housing duplex structure is starting to take shape and form in barangay Magbagacay here for the remaining residents of the ill-fated barangay Guinsaugon.

The activity, which has been spearheaded by Gawad Kalinga (GK), was part of a commitment from the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce community, and would eventually form part of a big subdivision, according to Mayor Maria Lim during the visit of Gov. Rosette Lerias and Glenn Rabonza, National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) Administrator on Wednesday, April 19.

The work on the Kalinga Leyte Federation Gawad Kalinga Village was carried out in accordance to a subdivision plan, which also features other basic necessities for a community like school buildings, another three buildings that would serve as an evacuation center, health center, productivity center, and a playground.

Adjacent lots in Magbagacay are now being planned to be bought further to serve as permanent relocation site for two landslide-threatened barangays of Nueva Esperanza and Ayahag and, should this outlook be realized, some 409 housing units are needed to be built, said Governor Lerias.

In the same meeting at the Legislative Building here, Gov. Lerias also presented to NDCC Administrator Rabonza and other personnel of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) from Regions 6, 7, and 8 the comprehensive Southern Leyte Master Plan for the Rehabilitation of the disaster-affected areas.

Based on the master plan, at least 12 towns and one city in the province are facing dangers and "disasters waiting to happen", said the Governor, and so immediate attention is crucial.

Listed are the city of Maasin, the towns of Macrohon, Malitbog, Bontoc, Sogod, San Francisco, Saint Bernard, Libagon, Liloan, Hinunangan, Anahawan, San Juan, and Pintuyan. These places are cited as danger-prone areas for ground mass movement, landslides, flash floods, flooding, and ground-shaking.

In the course of the meeting, NDCC Chair Rabonza turned over P9.2 Million as partial contribution of the national government through the NDCC in the continuing rehabilitation efforts, particularly for the site development at Magbagacay and other calamity-affected areas of the province.