ILIGAN CITY, Lanao del Norte, Jan. 26 (PIA) -- Donation of P500 million for Sendong victims in Iligan by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) provided one of the highlights in what could be described as a very successful public-private-partnership (PPP) enterprise at the “Bayanihan” Village in Sta. Elena, this city, yesterday, Jan. 25.
Witnessed by President Benigno s. Aquino III, a symbolic cheque bearing the amount intended for the construction of 2,500 Gawad Kalinga (GK) houses in the area was received by Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay from Ramon Ang of SMC.
This would be on top of the 1,700 GK houses that the National Housing Authority (NHA) will build in the area, which the President Aquino has asked the NHA General Manager Chito Cruz, to finish by June, this year.
About 2,000 volunteers from all sectors of society, particularly, students, teachers, civil society organizations, local government unit employees and barangay officials came in answer to the call of Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz to honor the dead victims of Sendong by helping clean the city and fast tracking the construction of the permanent homes of survivors.
The president hopes that with the help of the private sector, Iligan City can be back on its feet to rebuild itself, making sure not to repeat the Sendong tragedy by strictly implementing the laws on the safety of the residents.
“Bawal na po magtayo ng bahay sa tabi ng mga ilog (Building of houses along the river banks should no longer be allowed),” he said.
The president also assured the residents that his administration has the best team to ensure that transparency and accountability in the implementation of government projects is achieved.
Meanwhile, an infrastructure damage of P410.48 million have been noted in Iligan City resulting from the Sendong onslaught. Of this amount, P190.15 million involved roads and bridges while P220.33 million involved 14 public school buildings.
These roads and bridges included the following: Mandulog Bridge 1, Highway Secondary Diversion, Iligan City at P130 million, Mandulog Bridge 2, Barangay San Roque - Hinaplanon Section, Iligan City at P35 million, Misamis Oriental-Maria Cristina Boundary (MO-MCB) Road, Hinaplanon Section at P15 million, Mahayahay Section at P0.15 million and Sta. Felomina-Bonbonon-Digkilaan-Rogongon Road at P10 million.
The damaged school buildings also included the following: Bayug Elementary School, Mandulog Elementary School, Iligan City East High School (ICEHS), Hinaplanon Annex, ICEHS, Santiago Annex and Bagong Silang Elementary School, Cabili Village Elementary School, Tu National High School, Digkilaan Annex, Iligan City East Central School, and Northeast IIB Central School.
Iligan City National High School (ICNHS), Tambacan Annex, Villaverde Elementary School, Benito S. Ong Memorial Elementary School, Kapisahan Elementary School and Pugaan Elementary School were severely flooded. (PIA-10)