Twelve northern Cebu towns were given 168 million pesos to fix government buildings, build emergency shelter and develop resettlement areas for Yolanda survivors. The financial assistance came from three government agencies: Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Housing Authority (NHA), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Sunstar reported:

This represents only the first tranche, said a recent progress report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

The assistance is not part of the P12.2-billion rehabilitation and recovery plan for Cebu Province that President Benigno Aquino III signed last July, said Capitol consultant for rehabilitation and recovery Carmel Ulanday.

Yolanda ended more than 6,200 lives and injured about 28,000 people in the Visayas last Nov. 8, 2013, said a National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council report.

The typhoon also destroyed or damaged almost P40 billion worth of infrastructure, crops and agricultural facilities.

DILG’s first tranche of assistance was released last May 2. It was intended for the repair of municipal buildings, public markets and civic centers.

Ulanday said the second tranche will be for the repair of barangay halls.

Earlier, Regional Director Ananias Villacorta said the financial assistance distributed to northern local governments formed part of the Recovery Assistance for Yolanda (RAY) fund of DILG.

For its part, DSWD has given emergency shelter assistance to Madridejos (P66.4 million), Sogod (18.1 million) and Tabuelan (P9 million).

Read more : 12 Cebu towns receive P168M