Duterte to turn over 600 temporary shelters on December 27

MARAWI CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to turn over 600 temporary shelters in barangay Sagonsongan on December 27.

The internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be distributed in four of the 11 areas identified for temporary shelters.

National Housing Authority General Manager Marcelino  P. Escalada Jr said  “The first 600 families will receive the temporary shelters and after which, another batch will transfer.”

Barangay Songsongan is in the boundaries of Marawi City and the municipality of Saguiaran where most internally displaced persons (IDPs) are housed in a temporary shelter.

“We plan to turn over temporary shelters every three months and that will be the cycle until everyone will be accommodated,” Escalada emphasized.

The NHA in coordination with the local government of Marawi will start constructing the permanent houses starting January 2018.

The the NHA will build over 4,000 permanent houses for residents who lost their houses during the Marawi siege.

The Task Force (TF) Bangon Marawi is preparing all the necessary provisions from light to water “The President wants every temporary shelter equipped with light and water for the families to live comfortably even if it is just a temporary shelter,” Escalada added.

The TF Bangon Marawi is composed of national government agencies which takes care of the needs of the IDPs from economic to psycho-social intervention.  The beneficiaries of the first batch will be identified by the Social Services department.

Duterte earlier ordered the NHA to fastrack the construction of temporary shelters but ensure the houses is liveable and residents will be comfortable.

“We have six sites in Sagonsongan, one site is developed by the city government of Marawi, one is donated by the South Koreans– the NHA takes care of the other sites as we supervise the construction of other housing units,” Escalada said.

The temporary housing units are equipped with toilet and kitchen and are divided with concrete pavement.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph