Aboitiz group allots Php140M for rehab work

After the initial relief operations work to help the survivors of super typhoon Yolanda, the Aboitiz group through its social development arm Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., is now studying the rehabilitation of hundreds  of school buildings in various municipalities in Northern Cebu that were bulldozed by super typhoon Yolanda. Sonny Carpio, Aboitiz Foundation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer said this is part of the initial rehabilitation plan to help the typhoon survivors get back to normal life. Carpio added that based on the data provided by the Department of Education, there are 1,308 school buildings in the cities and municipalities of Bogo, Daanbantayan, Medellin and San Remigio in Northern Cebu that were either totally, heavily, or partially damaged by the super typhoon and displaced over 29,000 grade school and high school children. The Aboitiz Foundation is currently assessing which ones and how many of these schools it could repair. “We will prioritize those that are heavily and partially damaged, as opposed to the buildings that are totally damaged, since these are the ones that could immediately be used by the children,” Carpio explained.  The Php 140 million earmarked for the rehabilitation of school buildings is part of the Php 200 million budget the Aboitiz Group has allotted for its relief and rehabilitation work in Yolanda-damaged areas. The fund came from its various business units, donors, friends and donations placed through its UShare payment platform. The Aboitiz Foundation will also work hand in hand, with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), the Aboitiz family’s private foundation, in order to cover more areas.  Currently, school children in Northern Cebu make do with roofless school buildings, tents and nipa huts, just to resume their classes.