Duterte extends task force Yolanda’s term until 2022

September 28, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the term of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the unified implementation and monitoring of rehabilitation and recovery projects and programs in Yolanda-affected areas until the end of his term in 2022 or unless he sooner terminated it.

Administrative Order No. 33, which Duterte signed on September 16, a copy of which was only released to the media on Monday, underscored the need to extend the term of the IATF-Yolanda to facilitate the completion of the housing program.

Under the Yolanda Permanent Housing Program, which is an integral component of the Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan, 129,484 housing units have been completed while 49,112 are undergoing construction or 89.3% combined accomplishment rate, and 241 out of the 363 permanent resettlement projects have been energized or 66% electrification rate.

The IATF-Yolanda was supposed to have a term of three years only or until Aug. 20, 2020.

AO 33 read, "The IATF-Yolanda shall be deemed dissolved on 30 June 2022, unless it is sooner terminated by the President."

Prior to the IATF-Yolanda's dissolution, the AO said it shall publish a final report on its accomplishments, including projects and programs implemented and the total budget utilized, copy furnished the Office of the President through the Office of the Executive Secretary.

The Order shall take effect immediately upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Yolanda, also known as typhoon Hyan, considered as one of the largest and strongest typhoons ever recorded at landfall, caused massive storm surges that ravaged coastal communities, claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions of people, especially in the areas of Eastern Samar, Eastern Visayas, northern part of Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and Northern Palawan on Nov. 8, 2013. Celerina Monte/DMS