The Yolanda Recovery Partners and Cluster Heads convened in a meeting on 25 July 2016 at the Felipina Hall, NEDA VIII, Palo, Leyte.

The meeting was presided over by Yolanda Recovery Cluster Chair and NEDA VIII Regional Director Atty. Bonifacio G. Uy. Also present to give support was Co-Chair Eden P. Garde, UNDP Program Manager. A total of forty-nine (49) individuals coming from the Yolanda cluster government agencies and the development partners (international and local NGOs) participated in the meeting.

In the said meeting, the body discussed the following: 1) NEDA VIII – YPMO Exit Report; 2) Revalidation of the reported defects of the housing units constructed in Ridge View Park, Tacloban City; 3) Hosting of Ureka Forum for Eastern Visayas; 4) Agency mapping exercise for Yolanda recovery; 5) Update on the Pope Francis for Resilient and Co-Empowered Sustainable Communities (FRANCESCO) Project, Brgy. Diit, Tacloban City; and. 6) Orientation on the Coalition of Yolanda Survivors Association in Tacloban (CYSAT).

Two resolutions were passed during the meeting concerning (1) the region’s hosting of the Ureka Forum in November 2016 through the support from LGUs and businessmen, wherein development partners are enjoined to participate for them to introduce electronic commerce as a tool to their beneficiaries engaged in SMEs; and, (2) requesting support from NEA for the electrification and from LWUA for the water distribution of the FRANCESCO Housing Project in Brgy. Diit, Tacloban City.

Towards the end of the meeting, it was mentioned that this activity will still be undertaken by NRO VIII in order to share among the government and development partners their efforts in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Yolanda-affected areas in Region VIII.

Lucille B. Gajutos, PMED, NEDA VIII