The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will receive from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources confiscated illegally-cut forest products to be used in rebuilding 1,500 houses in Jolo which were burned Feb. 3.
The burned houses, mostly on stilts, were in three barangays of Jolo located by the seashore and owned by families whose livelihood is mainly fishing.
Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan told me in a phone conversation on Monday that the 1,576 families who lost their homes would like to rebuild their homes in the same area.
“Ayaw nila ma relocate kasi mapalayo sila sa dagat,” Gov. Tan said.
MinDA once again asked DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu through Undersecretary Jim Sampulna for donation of confiscated lumber for Jolo rehabilitation.
Usec Sampulna informed MinDA Undersecretary Janet Lopoz that the DENR in Region 9 which is the nearest office to Jolo has readied the first shipment.
MinDA will engage the Department of National Defense so that naval assets could be used in transporting the lumber to Jolo.
On Feb. 13, I will travel to Jolo to conduct a personal assessment on the needs of the fire victims.
This will be the second time MinDA will engage the DENR for the use of seized illegal lumber for disaster intervention.
Earlier, DENR Sec. Cimatu also ordered the release to MinDA of seized lumber for the rehabilitation of earthquake affected areas in Davao and Cotabato.
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