NAGA CITY, Cebu鈥擯resident Rodrigo Duterte on Friday (Sept. 6) led groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of houses for villagers displaced by a landslide near a quarrying site here in 2018.
Duterte, in his speech during the ceremony, said the groundbreaking rite was a 鈥渇ulfillment of a promise鈥� to those displaced by the landslide which the President described as a 鈥渨ake-up call for us to strengthen preparedness in times of disaster.鈥�
鈥淚 am confident that we will overcome natural and manmade disasters and emerge as a stronger and more resilient nation,鈥� the President said.
At least 78 people were dead and six were missing after two hectares of a community called Sitio Tagaytay collapsed on a populated area called Sitio Sandulan.
The Naga city government is constructing 50 houses while the National Housing Authority, and the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board will build 192 housing units for the displaced families.
鈥淲e have overcome the tragedy and continue to do so only by God鈥檚 grace,鈥� said the mayor, Kristine Vanessa Chiong.
鈥淭he never-say-die, never give up and no retreat, no surrender Filipino spirit is truly remakrable,鈥� Chiong said./tsb