PHILIPPINES: Tacloban residents are paid for removing debris from the city's streets, injecting cash into the local economy but uncovering more typhoon dead

Record ID: 564771

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Tacloban residents are paid for removing debris from the city's streets, injecting cash into the local economy but uncovering more typhoon dead
  • Date: 23rd November 2013
  • Summary: TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE PROVINCE, PHILIPPINES (NOVEMBER 23, 2013) (REUTERS) PEOPLE THROWING RUBBLE ON A PILE SHOVEL PUSHING DEBRIS ALONG THE ROAD VARIOUS OF PEOPLE HELPING IN CLEAN UP TWO BOYS PULLING WOODEN STICKS OUT FROM PILE OF RUBBLE SHOVEL PUSHING RUBBLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TEACHER, ALEX VILLEGAS, SAYING: "All of us has a problem with cash to buy something because the market is already open. So at least if we have this cash on work, at least we can buy vegetables, food, whatsoever." VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEER SEARCHING FOR BODIES IN DEBRIS (SOUNDBITE) (English) VOLUNTEER FROM YOUTH WITH A MISSION, MITCH METZGER, SAYING: "We're waiting for them to clear the rubble so we can get to the bodies. Should have been done a week ago." VOLUNTEERS CARRYING BODY BAG AWAY PEOPLE WATCHING VOLUNTEERS TAKING AWAY BODY
  • Embargoed: 8th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
  • Reuters ID: LVA8BWUQX90KC6W8T3PGQUJT985W
  • Story Text: Tacloban residents were given a cash incentive to help clear the city's streets of debris on Saturday (November 23).
    The city has created a 'cash for work' program in which local residents can receive money or food in return for removing rubble left after Typhoon Haiyan flattened the area on November 8th.
    In central Tacloban, each volunteer receives 500 pesos (11 US dollars), funded through foreign donations, for each day of work.
    Teacher Alex Villegas, who fled his home when the waves struck more than two weeks ago, left everything behind and is now struggling to get money to buy supplies and rebuild his house.

    "All of us has a problem with cash to buy something because the market is already open. So at least if we have this cash on work, at least we can buy vegetables, food, whatsoever," Villegas said.
    As more of the debris is removed, more casualties are discovered.
    Alex Metzger is a volunteer from Christian charity, Youth with a Mission, and said he cleared around 40 bodies from the street this week.

    "We're waiting for them to clear the rubble so we can get to the bodies. Should have been done a week ago," Metzger said.
    On Saturday, the national disaster agency said the death toll from Haiyan had risen to 5,235 with more than 1,600 still missing and over 4 million people displaced.
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