CAGAYAN DE ORO City, Oct. 19, 2012 —Ten months after Tropical Storm Sendong (international name Washi) hit Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City in Northern Mindanao, people are gaining back dignity and confidence as aids from international and local agencies continue to pour in.
Some 70 houses were turned over recently by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), the Japanese government and the Official Development Assistance (ODA) to typhoon victims in this city.
Sevaratnan Sinnadurrai, head of delegation of the IFRC to the Philippines said great improvements has been done in Cagayan de Oro after putting all the hard work of affected individuals, the government and aid agencies to regain back the dignity and decency of the survivors.
“Everybody has joined hands to help and support each other acknowledging each trauma and anxieties they felt,” Sinnadurrai said.
The houses, 52 of it, are located in Brgy Balulang, one of the badly devastated barangay in Cagayan de Oro where 3,055 houses were partially and totally damaged and left more than 60 people dead.
“I have no doubt Cagayan de Oro will rebuild and recover fast with the resiliency and creativity of the people,” Japanese Ambassador Toshinao Urabe said.
Urabe said Japan was also a recipient of the IFRC who have suffered greatly due to different calamities that struck their country many times.
“We are happy to reciprocate the generosity of IFRC and we promised to help in their cause,” Urabe added.
Richard Gordon, Philippine Red Cross chairman, lauded the efforts of Kagay-nons who stood up amid the tragedy.
“I saw the heart of the people here who fought hard to survive and to live,” Gordon said.
A total of P8.8 million has been given by the Japanese government for the construction of the houses. (Abigail Chee Kee Malalis)
