WV to avail partial rehab fund this month: Banias
Western Visayas is expected to receive this month an initial release of P600 million from its share in the P12-billion fund provided by the national government for the rehabilitation of areas that suffered from the onslaught of typhoons Frank, Ondoy, Pepeng.
The Philippine Information Agency said the development was announced by former Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas and now Iloilo Provincial Administrator Raul Banias during his June 29 meeting with members of the Regional KALAHI Convergence Group.
Banias, who chaired the convergence group in his capacity as the Presidential Assistant for the region, was also the executive director of Task Force Bangon Panay that oversaw the rehabilitation program for the island, which suffered the most damage when typhoon Frank struck the region in June 2008.
The region, which suffered P6.4 billion and P3.1 billion worth of damages to infrastructure and agriculture, respectively, is set to receive as much as P4 billion from the total rehabilitation fund.
The fund will be used to implement various rehabilitation projects in the region such as bridges, road networks, dredging and river control, emergency shelter projects, hanging bridges, and other projects on livelihood, health and agriculture.
Among these are the repair of bridges in Guimbal, Maasin and Leon and repair of the coastal road in Iloilo, repair of road in Valderrama, Antique, and dredging and river control in Libacao, Aklan.
Prior to the release of the fund, the region received in 2009 about P400 million from the emergency funds of line government agencies for the immediate repair of roads and bridges damaged by typhoon Frank including the newly inaugurated P160-million Tigum Bridge located in Brgy. Tabucan, Cabatuan, Iloilo.
The amount was released to the region through representations made by Banias and then Iloilo 3rd District Rep., now Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., with former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
The rest of the P12-billion fund will go to Luzon and Metro Manila which were hit by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in 2009.
