Red Cross Village: Wonderfully Red

I rode a motorbike going to Red Cross Village located at Digkilaan, Iligan City. It's about a 30-min road trip   and I payed 35 pesos for the ride. The scenery traveling the mountain side is very enticing but at the same time, the destruction that occurred almost a year ago is still very visible along Mandulog River. It's like a scar that is slowly healing and recovering from a great wound. 

I arrived the village around 2 pm. It's now a common destination among the motorbike drivers since many are visiting the relocation site.

There are 320 houses built and already occupied as of November 15, 2012 as reported by United Nations Office for Coordination for the Humanitarian Affairs. It's wonderfully red.

50 units were targeted to be finished last July 2012 and they added another 170 units making it 320 houses.

This project was done through Red Cross/Red Cresent and Australian Aid in partnership with the DSWD and other local agencies of Iligan City.

Ground breaking Ceremonay happened last 8th of May  2012 and the turning over ceremony was last October 2, 2012.

Facilities such as this Payag were made to provide a place for meetings and social gatherings as well as psychosocial activities.

This one is located in a hill. As I walked around the village, I saw two of these kind of structures located in different strategic areas so residents will have opportunities to also use it for recreational activities.

The floors were concrete and the side walls were made of wood. The house also included a toilet. Most residents planted alugbati around the sides of their house and some made a small flower garden to beautify the area.

According to the residents, there will be a multi-purpose hall to be built on this area. The turning over program was held here and its located at the front center of the village.

Water for drinking is still being delivered  as of October. They also use it for cooking.

There were around 4 water pumps which is their water source for general use. 

Nearby the site is a High School where this building was rebuilt by ABS-CBN and the Philippine Army. According to the stories of the teachers, there were big logs that destroyed some of their school buildings and that the water almost overflowed the rooftops during the height of Sendong.

Few blocks away is an Elementary School where an ongoing construction sponsored by the USAID and partnership with the Philippine Government to build new classrooms.

 I bid goodbye to the teachers I met at the school and head my way back to the City. These developments that I saw proves the joint efforts of the Local NGOs, GOs, and INGOs. Rest assured that there are people who works hard to fasten up not just the rebuilding of houses but  - rebuilding the lives of every Iliganon; of every Sendong Survivor.

View of the Red Cross Village near the High School Building at Digkilaan, Iligan City

NOTE: If there are any information written on this post which you think is inappropriate or lacking, please email me at ebardofrancisalain@gmail.com. This is the Author's experience of going Red Cross Village and some people I met along the road.

This is part of the Iligan to 1 Series. What happened to 1 year after Sendong? A blogger report through his visit to different relocation sites and places,  and interview with some Iliganons. Like my page on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItsSimplyFrancis

Other Parts of the Series: 

Bayug Island: A Hidden Beauty Beyond the Ruins I

Bayug Island: A Hidden Beauty Beyond the Ruins II

Bayanihan Village: Colorful Houses for Colorful Dreams

Sendong Cannot Wash Away Good Food: A Blogger Special

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