02 March 2007
By Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
LEGAZPI CITY—Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez said he was wondering why Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral made such a “sweeping statement” Tuesday by questioning where the tents intended for displaced typhoon victims in Bicol went.
Cabral said the Department of Social Welfare and Development had turned over a total of 1,887 tents to the Bicol region.
Congested centers
However, she said, based on what she had seen on her last visit here early February, evacuation centers were still congested.
Bothered by this, she said she ordered a check of whether the family tents donated by local and foreign donors had been distributed to their intended beneficiaries.
Cabral also said it was unacceptable to her that a tent that was good for just one family was being occupied by up to three families.
Gonzalez said Cabral’s doubts could not be validated, adding: “Had she only inquired from us, we can account for every single tent delivered by the DSWD for typhoon victims in Albay.”
The governor said 500 tents were the last ones turned over to Albay and around 80 of these had been distributed to the intended recipients.
The remaining tents are being reserved once the refugees still housed in three schools in Daraga, Albay are transferred to transit centers.
He said the provincial government had been closely coordinating with the local social welfare and development agency regarding relief-distribution and rehabilitation efforts.
“Maybe (Sec. Cabral) was just confused. Or maybe she was talking of ‘congestion’ (that existed) a month and a half ago. But there have been day-to-day developments in our relief efforts,” Gonzalez said.
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