DavOr cites Pablo rehab accomplishments

Davao del Norte, November 18 (PIA) - - - An official of the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental presented recently during the 12th Mindanao Communicators Network (MindaComNet) Congress in Zamboanga City the updates on the Typhoon Pablo rehabilitation in the province.

Dolores Valdesco, cultural heritage in-charge and provincial government assistant department head, declared that with almost two years, the province regained normalcy and was healed from the Pablo experience.

“One year and 11 months seemed too short to regain some semblance of normalcy and heal from our Pablo experience, yet we have done it and achieved so much,” Valdesco emphasized.

Valdesco said the rehabilitation activities were anchored on Building Back Better Agenda, which was the framework plan for the reconstruction and development of the Pablo-stricken municipalities of Baganga, Cateel and Boston for the period of 2013-2016.

She said that the development agenda were classified into three stages: Emergency Humanitarian Response, Early Recovery and Build-Back-Better.

Valdesco said that for the period of seven months from December 2012 to June 2013, they have covered all affected families in food pack distribution, provision of clean and safety drinking water and medical services.

“On shelter program, we already completed and distributed close to 10,000 permanent houses excluding transition houses and temporary and emergency shelter kits benefiting more than 12,000 families,” she said.

She added that another 9,000 more houses are undergoing construction and will be fully turned over early next year.

Valdesco also disclosed that 326 make-shift classrooms were provided during the emergency and recovery phase, while 536 new school buildings were constructed as of October.

“Aside from the school building, the Department of Education (DepEd) also provided tectbooks and learning materials for the students,” she said.

Valdesco also said that accessibility to isolated towns were restored with quick response of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) inn repairing bridges and replacing totally destroyed bridges with bailey panels.

“Functioning communication system and power were also restored in all affected barangays,” she added.

She also revealed that the 257,554.50 cubic meters of debris from uprooted and fallen trees were converted into livelihood projects supporting more than 11,000 beneficiaries.

Valdesco also took accounts of the milestones in restoring the agriculture and economic condition of the province, like the distribution of planting materials, boats and livestock.

“One of the industries that we are pursuing as a major industry to develop is the oil palm, replacing coconuts in some parts of these towns,” she added.

She also highlighted the completion of the Cateel Irrigation Project and the inscription of Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Valdesco stressed that the collaborative efforts of the government agencies and private companies were vital in the recovery of the municipalities and the province as a whole.

“Our agenda has still a long way to go; but having a solid support from the national government and other development collaborators and having put in place operational mechanisms, we are positive that we can harness more resources and partners. We can do more. And we can do better in the coming years,” said Valdesco quoting the words of Gov. Corazon Malanyaon. (PIA 11, Michael Uy)