A contractor of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) donated its two (2) completed bunkhouses with toilet and facilities in Barangay Tacuranga, Palo, Leyte.
Construction firm R.D. Interior Junior Construction who volunteered to work on the emergency construction of temporary shelters for “Yolanda” victims’ decided not to accept any payment for the completed project and instead took it as a social responsibility of the Tuguegarao City-based builder.
Mr. Ricardo D. Interior, Jr. said that it is a moral obligation to help the calamity victims in Eastern Visayas and as such, they heeded to the call of DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson to help the national government in the rehabilitation efforts particularly for the benefit of those rendered homeless.
The donated shelter project has a value of P1.59 Million.
Although none of the contractors of bunkhouses have been paid by the government pending final acceptance, DPWH Region 2 OIC-Director Melvin B. Navarro has already requested the cancellation of the corresponding Sub Allotment Release Order No. SR2013-12-010791 intended for the payment of contracted two (2) units of temporary shelters following the receipt of waiver for payment from the owner/general manager of R.D. Interior Junior Construction.
In heeding the call of DPWH Secretary for volunteerism, contractors were able to remove overhead and profit margins of about 13 percent that further reduced construction cost.
Secretary Singson maintained that bunkhouses as temporary shelters were intended to be good for not more than two (2) years while permanent shelters are being constructed but he is hoping that people will not stay longer than this period and the government will be able to complete the permanent shelters for families left homeless and those relocated from “No Build Zones” of 40 meters easement from the shoreline.
“Any identified sites for relocation should now be used for permanent shelter project of the government with the DPWH ready to do the site development and National Housing Authority (NHA) and private companies to undertake planning and actual construction of the permanent houses”, added Singson.