Despite considerable progress in rehabilitation and recovery efforts in the areas devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan, the real post-disaster picture one year after remains that of people still languishing and suffering from the long-lasting effects of the catastrophe.
A significant number of people in Tacloban, Tanauan and Palo — some of the hardest-hit areas in Leyte province — continue to live in makeshift shelters put together using scrap wood and metal. While livelihood programs from different international organizations and government agencies are in place, several families still subsist on meager incomes and sometimes on nothing at all.
This is why reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts moving forward should focus on the typhoon victims, who themselves should be involved in their own recovery process, according to Haoliang Xu, U.N. assistant secretary-general and U.N. Development Program Asia-Pacific director. As the recovery and rehabilitation process continues on a long-term basis, people’s inclusion will help them and the effectiveness and accountability of programs focused on their recovery.
About the author
Lean Alfred Santos@DevexLeanAS
Lean Alfred Santos is a former Devex development reporter focusing on the development community in Asia-Pacific, including major players such as the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. He previously covered Philippine and international business and economic news, sports and politics.
