Tent city goes up in Iligan, courtesy of Rotary Int'l and Shelterbox
23.02.12
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines—Nursing his slightly feverish 4-year-old son inside a 10-square-meter octagonal tent, Bernie Dominguez arranges his family’s clothes inside a lightweight but tough green-colored box.
Dominguez’s extended family of seven just moved into the so-called “tent city” run by the Rotary Club on one-hecare piece of land owned by the government near a bus terminal in the village of Tambo.
“It is far better here than in our makeshift house,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez’s wife, two children, a nephew, brother-in-law and mother-in-law survived the flash floods unleashed by Tropical Storm Sendong on December 17. But their house in the village of Barinaut was destroyed.
A day after the disaster, Dominguez gathered what remained of his house and erected a shanty that could barely shield them from the elements. Blankets donated by relief agencies served as walls during the night to protect them from the cold wind.
Dominguez, a welder, considers his new temporary shelter of a tent “like a birthday gift.” He turned 39 last December 29, a day before they relocated.
Source: Inquirer.net