Fishermen’s boats were not spared by the wrath of Typhoon Odette | Photo from Sugbo News FB video
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Rebuilding efforts in Cebu province continue more than a month since Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) battered the island.
The Capitol is expected to conduct another round of rebuilding assistance and this time, the beneficiaries will be fishermen whose boats were totally damaged by the typhoon.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on January 30 again met with suppliers of building materials to discuss the provincial government’s plans to buy marine plywood, marine epoxy, and bronze nails in bulk, according to a report by Sugbo News, the Capitol’s media arm.
These materials, in turn, will be given to fishermen to help them repair or build new boats.
“Paliton gihapon ug bulto ug akong ipaprovide. Dili i-card. Adto nato ibutang sa LGUs (local government units),” said Garcia.
Citing data from the Provincial Agriculture Office, the provincial government reported that close to 6,500 fishermen in the province were affected by Typhoon Odette.
Furthermore, around 80 percent of these, or roughly around 5,000 fishermen are not covered by any insurance programs.
Garcia also said fishermen working in tourism industries like the whale-shark watching activities in Oslob town can avail of low-interest loans from state-run banks through the Capitol’s Enhanced Countryside Development (ECD).
Odette struck the central and southern portions of Cebu last December 16, leaving a destructive trail that costs billions of pesos.
The Capitol has earlier distributed rebuilding materials to approximately 90,000 families whose houses were either partially or completed destroyed by the typhoon.
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/ dcb