City to pay for Yolanda victims’ fare home

CLOSED SOON. The Family Rebuilding Center or the Tent City at the South Road Properties (SRP) which opened before Christmas will close next month, with supertyphoon Yolanda survivors sent to their hometowns in Eastern Visayas or to their new homes in Cebu.

The Cebu City government is tapping its “Balik Probinsya” program funds to send typhoon Yolanda victims sheltered at the South Road Properties (SRP) back to their hometowns.

Ester Concha, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said each of the 10 families who want to go home may avail of a maximum of P3,000 cash assistance from the city. The amount will shoulder the cost of their boat tickets and pocket money.

The city government set aside P1.5 million this year for its “Balik Probinsya” program which is designed to help send transients back to their home provinces so they will not contribute to the informal settlers glut in the city. It is part of the city’s crisis intervention program.

“The city will buy their tickets.  Makahatag sad ta nila ug gamay mga pocket money para sa ilang plete sa bus ug para kaon basta dili lang mo exceed sa P3,000 (Aside from their fare, we can give them travel allowance…)” Concha said.

The DSWS head is confident that P3,000 is enough to send Yolanda victims to their homes, with two to five persons for each family.

An option, she said, is to send them home on board C130 flights of the Philippine Air Force (PAF or on board  Navy ships.

Concha said they are making arrangements with the PAF and the Navy.

Travel on board air force  or navy ships will be more convenient for the typhoon victims because this will allow them to bring home belongings that they acquired from donations in Cebu.