1 photo of relief good on Culion, Palawan

Description

With the emergency relief programme concluded on November 24, SLB is now finalising rehabilitation plans. These will largely be focused on Culion, Palawan, the Jesuit mission island that was once the world’s largest leper colony. Culion was the last place hit by the typhoon and, although it was little mentioned in the media, local contacts show that 3,750 families (15,518 individuals) were affected. More than 1,000 houses were totally destroyed and about 2,000 partially damaged.

SLB director Fr Xavier Alpasa SJ said a team will go to Culion on December 6 for community validation. They will look into rehabilitation prospects in housing, livelihood, purchasing of boats, renewable energy, psycho-social interventions and social entrepreneurship ventures.

The rehabilitation plan to be implemented in 2014 with a 3-year time frame includes the construction of houses and boats for the fishing communities; and education and training for jobs. There is also a plan to install solar panels for electricity. The typhoon caused total power failure on Culion, which only had 12 hours of electricity a day before. Power is estimated to be restored in January.

Nov 28