Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has ordered the emergency purchase of P50 million worth of building materials to hasten the repair of houses hit by Typhoon “Odette” in Negros Occidental.
The typhoon destroyed 65,871 houses in Negros Occidental and damaged 190,868, a status report as of 5 p.m. Monday, December 27, showed.
Typhoon “Odette” killed 45 Negrenses, injured 171, and 10 were still missing Monday.
There are 852 evacuees still in evacuation centers in Negros Occidental, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
Still in evacuation centers in Candoni are 300 residents, Ilog -225, Kabankalan City – 34, La Castellana – 84, San Carlos City -28, and Sipalay City -181.
Diaz said they are buying corrugated and plain GI sheets for the roofs of houses hit by the typhoon.
The materials need to be distributed as soon as possible, Diaz said.
The P50 million can purchase about 68,956 corrugated GI sheets, and 18,000 plain GI sheets, he said.
Lacson said they are also waiting for the initial financial assistance of the National Housing Authority for partially damaged houses of P5,000 each.
The NHA is releasing the funds for the partially damaged houses first and will release the bigger amount for destroyed houses next, he said.*