MANILA, Jan 28 -- With roads and bridges no longer a major problem in areas hit by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), construction of "vertical" structures may go full swing soon.
In a media briefing in Malacañang, Presidential Assistant on Reconstruction and Recovery Panfilo M. Lacson said the "horizontal" structures like roads and bridges are no longer a problem, and the private sector could now set up the vertical structures.
"We hope in the coming weeks mag-full swing ang mga vertical. Sa ngayon walang problema sa horizontal, ang roads and bridges. But ang vertical, as soon as possible, we are egging the private sector especially development sponsors to put up structures already," he said.
(We hope in the coming weeks, the construction of vertical structures will go on full swing. We now have no problem with horizontal structures like roads and bridges. But we are egging the private sector especially the development sponsors to put up vertical structures soonest.)
Lacson noted rehabilitation work has started moving in areas hit by Yolanda, and the affected areas had been divided into 24 areas of intervention.
He noted there have been many from the private sector who agreed to be sectoral sponsors.
Also, he said his office has suggested to private companies to "adopt" and start constructing structures in affected areas.
Among those involved are top corporations, which are now developing plans and timetable to follow in rehabilitation work, he said.
So far, Lacson said, the biggest challenge for his office is coordination, though he noted that corporations have a social responsibility to the people.
He added these corporations will likely remain involved in rehabilitation work even after President Benigno Aquino III's term ends on June 30, 2016.
"Iiwanan namin sila and they will just carry on. Even beyond 2017 naroon pa rin sila, continue ang rebuilding efforts (We will leave them and they will carry on. Even beyond 2017 they will still be there to continue rebuilding efforts)," he said. (PIA Central Newsdesk/PCOO)