Southern Leyte
residents clamor for housing materials
The
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributes shirts to
children at the Anilao Elementary School in Liloan, Southern
Leyte, which serves as evacuation center after Typhoon Odette
left many families homeless. (Jose Alsmith L. Soria) |
Press Release
January 28, 2022
LILOAN, Southern Leyte
– Members of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) in
the Panaon Island area are so grateful for the relief assistance
that keeps on pouring from various sectors.
In the afternoon of
December 16 last year, Super Typhoon Odette made its third landfall in
this town leaving many families homeless.
On January 5 of this year,
a team from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), headed by Chief
of the Program Beneficiaries Development Division, Victoria Ligtas,
brought relief goods for the members of the Anilao Farmers
Association, San Roque Farmers Association, Pandan Farmers
Association, Himay-angan Rice Farmers Association and the Liloan
farmers Agricultural Cooperative.
Ligtas shared that they
have provided the member of the five ARBOs, who are all severely
affected by Typhoon Odette, with food items, drinking water,
garments and “trapal” (tarpaulin) to address their current needs.
The team likewise
distributed shirts and biscuits to children at the Anilao Elementary
School, which serves as evacuation center, where some agrarian
reform beneficiaries (ARBs) are taking refuge.
On December 29, 2021, the
same relief goods were received by the members of the Tuno Farmers
Multi-Purpose Cooperative and the Cangcasto Farmers Association,
Ligtas added.
Ligtas shared that more
than 400 ARBO members from the two municipalities, mostly ARBs, were
benefited. However, they are begging for housing materials to
rebuild their homes that were destroyed when the typhoon hit the
province nine days before Christmas.
ARB Ma. Nita Palabrica,
52, and a mother of three, appeals to those who are still planning
to bring relief assistance for the typhoon victims, “Sana financial
assistance na lang para makapagpatayo kami ng kahit kubo lang” (We
hope for financial assistance instead, so we could build even a
small house only.)
Palabrica’s family is
among those who are still staying in the evacuation center after
their houses were crashed down by the typhoon.
Markenn Jay Maloto, 25,
daughter of an agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB), when asked why she
was crying, said “Wala na kaming bahay. Di kami makatulog ng maayos.”
(We have no house anymore. We can’t sleep well.)
According to her, their
house was knocked down by a coconut tree. Now she, her parents, and
her younger brother, are crammed in one bed to sleep in a corner of
their broken house with a makeshift roof.
She appeals for housing
materials they would use in repairing their house.
Josefa Lupas, 72, was
lucky that she and her paralyzed ARB husband were able to evacuate
before the typhoon came but was dismayed when they returned the
following day to see their house, which stands along the seashore,
heavily damaged.
ARB Jenelyn Almojicar, 50,
chairperson of the Tuno Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, exclaimed
“Salamat! Kahit sa kahirapan sa lugar na papunta dito, nakarating
ang taga-DAR at naalala kami” (Thank you! Even if it’s hard to come
here, people from DAR reached our place and remembered us.)
Almojicar is also asking
for materials they could use in repairing their organization’s
building which include a “sari-sari” store.
Just like what happened to
many houses all over the province, the roof of the said
organization’s building was blown away by strong winds, and
consequently, everything inside were damaged.
According to Almojicar,
members of their organization, who are all farmers, are dependent on
the store for their daily needs.
Meanwhile, DAR Eastern
Visayas Regional Director Robert Anthony Yu is looking for ways the
office could help the distraught ARBs recover and start a
livelihood.