Around P1 billion is needed to rehabilitate earthquake-stricken towns in Leyte province.
The estimate is contained in a report by the members of the Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) team of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) that did a survey of areas affected by the July 6 earthquake which hit Ormoc City and the towns of Kananga, Jaro and Carigara.
The final report of the PDNA made from August 16 to September 7 will be submitted to Neda for funding endorsements, said Wilson Ramos, an administrative officer of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO).
Separate copies of the PDNA will also be sent to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and the Office of the President.
Ramos said the magnitude 6.5 earthquake which hit Leyte province on July 6 especially damaged government infrastructures including their school buildings.
“Their buildings are new. Most of these were reconstructed after (Super Typhoon) Yolanda (hit the area in October 2013), so these were built to be typhoon resilient but not earthquake resilient,” said Ramos, a member of the PDNA.
Other PDNA members come from the Department of Public Works and Highways Central Visayas (DPWH-7) office and the disaster offices in regions 1, 2, 9, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and National Capital Region (NCR).