By Earl O. Condeza
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY – Typhoon Yolanda survivors scheduled protests in different parts of Eastern Visayas to show their anger over the government’s incompetence, 100 days after the storm.
In a statement, People Surge (an alliance of Typhoon Yolanda Survivors) said that the Aquino government will face the angry survivors “over its failure to lift them from their misery.”
Spokesperson Sr. Edita Eslopor said that “the survivors still live in uncertainty, 100 days after the storm.”
“The people are suffering because the government cannot assure the most basic needs such as food, livelihood, housing, and social services,” Sr. Elopor added.
According to presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, they were receiving reports that there are already “improvements” in Eastern Visayas.
“The government will keep on pushing on those ‘improvements,” she said, in an interview at the dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Testimonies from People’s Surge reveal otherwise.
Sr. Eslopor said that “until now, the government has still no clear plan for recovery and reconstruction.”
“This is because the reconstruction will be dedicated to the private sector,” she said.
Basing from the study conducted by the People’s Surge, majority of the affected sector are from the farmers and fisher folks which drew 2 million individuals, in Eastern Visayas.
It is estimated that the total damage to agriculture would reach P65 billion. This includes coconut production loss at P42 billion, fishing industry loss at P6 billion, P6 billion damage to banana plantations, P3.46 billion damage to unhusked rice and P6.5 billion damage to livestock and other root crops.
These damages on agriculture, according the People’s Surge, are worsened by the low budget under the reconstruction framework of the government.
Peoples Surge’s Eslopor also said that “the government should ensure the food security of the peasants.”
“That is for them (farmers) to recover quickly the income they lost, and provide the necessary assistance for their sustainability,” she added.
Sr Eslopor cited that this “government’s failure” led to the founding of the Alliance of Typhoon Yolanda survivors; the People’s Surge.
Meanwhile, international aid groups also witnessed “no improvements” in typhoon devastated areas in Eastern Visayas.
Sagip Migrante, an Overseas Filipino Workers’ relief network had their 4th relief and rehabilitation efforts in Samar and Tacloban last week but still “no improvement (was) felt.”
Migrante Spokesperson Gary Martinez said that “what they’ve seen is that there is no electricity yet.
“Nakakadismaya at nakakaiyak, iba yung balita sa overseas eh (The situation is dismaying and saddening, the news abroad tells otherwise),” he added
The survivors of Yolanda have demanded at least P40,000 per family.
Alyansa han mga Biktima han Bagyong Yolanda han Tacloban (ABBAT), an alliance of Yolanda survivors in Tacloban said that the “demand is just enough for a family of six, which is good for 1 month base from the cost of living in Tacloban city.”
But according to Abbat Secretary General Mark Simbajon, the Malacanang refused to their demands and were told that “there are no enough budget for the victims’ demand.”
He said that with Malacanang’s refusal, “(W)here would the budget go?”
“The P40, 000 per family demand of Abbat is enough for a family of six to their daily subsistence,” Simbajon added
He said that, “(I)f this situation will go further and the victims remain victims, they will be the ones calling for Aquino’s ouster.” (Earl O Condeza/davaotoday.com)
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