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DPWH readies site for shelter of Leyte landslides survivors

By Sarwell Meniano

June 16, 2022, 3:09 pm

<p><strong>HOUSING SITE</strong>. The site for temporary shelters in Baybay City is cleared by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Eastern Visayas. The DPWH on Thursday (June 16, 2022) said it has cleared the two-hectare site in Maganhan village as well as the surfacing of the road right-of-way and building area.<em> (Photo courtesy of DPWH)</em></p>
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HOUSING SITE. The site for temporary shelters in Baybay City is cleared by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Eastern Visayas. The DPWH on Thursday (June 16, 2022) said it has cleared the two-hectare site in Maganhan village as well as the surfacing of the road right-of-way and building area. (Photo courtesy of DPWH)

 

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the site development for temporary shelters of landslide survivors in Baybay City, the agency announced on Thursday.

The DPWH cleared the two-hectare site in Maganhan village as well as the surfacing of the road right-of-way and building area.

“Day in, day out, our task force worked hard in preparing the site for the construction of 80 housing units that are meant for the residents who have been displaced by Tropical Storm Agaton,” said DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Allan Borromeo in a statement.

The temporary housing funded by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will be constructed by the Philippine Army engineering brigade.

“Now that the Baybay City site development is complete, we will now fast track the site preparation in Abuyog, Leyte,” Borromeo added.

In Abuyog town, the deployed workers have already completed the removal of 26 trees and are currently conducting the clearing and grubbing activities.

The task force has also completed 180 meters of access road towards the relocation site, translating to an overall accomplishment of the site development activities at 25.17-percent as of June 10, Borromeo said.

The OCD has set aside an initial PHP10 million each for Baybay City and Abuyog town for the construction of temporary shelters.

Landslide survivors will stay in temporary shelters while waiting for the completion of permanent housing projects.

The shelter is made of wood, plywood, and corrugated sheets for roofing.

The OCD will provide construction materials and shoulder the construction cost while the local government units of Baybay and Abuyog provided sites for the temporary shelters.

On April 10, at least 128 people died due to several landslide incidents in Baybay City. Two days later, a village in Abuyog was wiped out by a landslide killing at least 58 residents.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) regional office initially identified eight villages in Baybay City as danger zones after showing early signs of landslides.

The MGB found the susceptibility of these communities after a thorough assessment of these areas in response to reports from residents of visible tension cracks.

The result of the assessment has been relayed to local government units for the enforcement of “no dwelling zones.” (PNA)

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