TACLOBAN CITY – Government and various organizations are continuing their efforts to rehabilitate calamity-affected Panaon Island in Southern Leyte, which was hit by landslides nearly a year ago.

Southern Leyte Governor Rosette Lerias told Leyte Samar Daily Express that developing the relocation sites and reforestation are the two major activities being undertaken to somehow bring the island into its original setting before the landslide struck on December 19, 2003.

At present, there were 45 duplex units already built for 90 families in San Francisco town.

In Liloan town, around 10 duplex units were completed. Hectares of lands were acquired as site for more housing units in the said town.

San Francisco, which was badly-hit by the calamity, has a total of 14 duplex units constructed. Lerias reported that they had started the construction of 140 single housing units.

She added that confiscated lumbers of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) from Mindanao were given to affected families in the island.

Initially, 68, 000 board feet of lumber were distributed to affected families for the reconstruction of houses in relocation sites. Lately, an additional 36, 000 board feet were brought to the area.

Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines assisted in transporting the confiscated lumber and in constructing houses.

“Everyone is extending a helping hand. You can really see all agencies of the government including the private sectors working together,” Lerias said.

The lady governor described the tragedy, which was had claimed around 200 lives, as “God’s will” but she stressed that its bad effect could be prevented through some mitigation measures such as reforestation and awareness of the effects of environmental degradation.

Since January this year, Lerias told Express that they have been implementing reforestation programs in the 25, 000-hectare Panaon Island.

DENR reported that a total of 162, 600 seedlings of deep-rooted trees were already distributed and planted.

Before the end of the year or early of 2005, the provincial government would put up a manufacturing plant donated by Plan International in Panaon Island, to process discarded coconut husks into coir that can be made as soil erosion control nets and goetextiles to prevent mudslides.

Coir, which comes from coconut husks, is traditionally processed into a range of products such a yarns for the production of floor coverings, mats and matting, cordage and nets, bristle fibers for brooms and brushes, and for use with domestic mattress and upholstery industries.

“We are going to use technology to make value-added products from coconut husks and solve our perennial problem of landslides in the province,” Lerias told LSDE.

She commended the assistance of different organizations in the implementation of rehabilitation plans such as Red Cross, United States Agency for International Development, United Nations, and the German Technical Cooperation, among others.