Houses to be turned over to displaced Sta. Fe folk

Basion Ilustrisomo and her family adjust to living in their new house, which will be formally turned over to them sometime this month.(CDN/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

BASION Ilustrisimo, a resident of barangay Talisay in Sta. Fe town, Bantayan Island, had something to smile about when Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) staff visited her on Friday.

The 55-year-old grandmother, who carried her granddaughter Tricia while being interviewed by Cebu Daily News, is one of several housing beneficiaries at the Yolanda Village.

About 105 houses have been built through donations from international groups since March. These housing units will be turned over to the beneficiaries this month.

The houses were built for families displaced by supertyphoon Yolanda in Sta. Fe town on November 8, 2013.

“Guba gyod kaayo among balay, maayo gali kay walay nangamatay namo (Our house was devastated, but we are thankful that all of us are alive),” Ilustrisimo said.

Though their new concrete house has only one room and is still unfinished, Ilustrisimo said she cannot ask for more.

She said her family only has a cabinet for clothes, two pots for cooking and a few kitchen utensils that they will move into their house later this month.

When asked what they would do at their new home, Ilustrisimo said they will use fans to cool themselves from the heat and will watch TV at the nearest neighbor’s home located 100 meters away or go to sleep early in the evening.

She said they couldn’t afford to buy new appliances.  Her husband earns P100 a day driving trisikad. But Ilustrisimo isn’t complaining. Rather, she would always remember the lesson given by Yolanda, which is to always be prepared.

“Mag-andam lang gyod pirmi (Just be ready all the time),” she told Cebu Daily News.