Help 4000 Odette Victims Have Food, Water, Power

Despite many months passing, rebuilding work is still unfinished.  The Bohol victims got the scare of their life as typhoon Agaton threatened to strike and inflict damage anew.  Luckily, it was not a fierce storm and just fly by without incurring serious damage to crops and properties. This provided the much needed relief to recovering victims

The distributed roofing materials  are yet to be installed.  This was delayed as the victims are awaiting for the 5K subsidy promised by the national government.  They will use the amount to purchase  coconut lumber to be used as beams for roof installation.  With no further assistance coming in, they are hoping the national government will send the funds soon so that households can complete installing their roofs.  This is critical especially at this time of August which is traditionally the rainiest month of the wet season and where virulent storms occur.

Another delaying factor is that the victims have yet to seek permission from the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to cut coconut lumber for beams.  Actually the storm incurred a lot of coconut trees felled down by the storm.  With no chance of surviving, families salvaged fallen coconut trees and using them as valuable lumber.   The communities are expecting that the government should ease the restriction and allow the communities to use fallen coconut trees for housing materials.  It seems that the restrictions has compounded the recovery efforts of affected communities

Despite, some of damaged houses slowly were able to erect initial posts  as foundation.  They are waiting for further assistance to buy nails and other materials to start roofing works.  So many people are desirous to complete rebuilding their houses as they are hard up already of resettling themselves and continue to pursue their livelihood work especially farming

Noting the importance of accessing lumber as materials, the community together with supporting NGOs like Conserve Bohol is lobbying for the local government to  reduce the complexities of obtaining permits for them to get lumber of fallen coconut trees.  This is the only building material  they have that is cheaper and highly accessible.

We hope the government relents and help the community recover faster from the damage.