DSWD distributes emergency shelter support to 359,662 households affected by typhoon ‘Yolanda’

DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman with children. File photo courtesy of DSWD on Facebook.

MANILA (PNA) — At least 359,662 households affected by typhoon “Yolanda” last November received emergency shelter support such as tents and tarpaulins from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) during the past six months.

DSWD Secretary Corazon J. Soliman said on Monday that in the efforts to build transitional shelters for the typhoon victims, the government and its partners are involving also the residents by asking for their views and informing them that the shelters are being built in safe zones being determined by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

According to Soliman, they are explaining that “it is a big no to build dwellings on high risk areas” which are prone to multi-hazards during the occurrence of disasters.

She explained that the Camp Management and Coordination Cluster is currently working with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the aim to transfer about 3,000 families living in evacuation centers in Tacloban City to transition shelters before the rainy season comes around.

“We want to ensure that before the rainy season comes, they will not get wet in evacuation centers while waiting for the availability of safe relocation,” she said.