President Benigno S. Aquino III assured affected families in severely quake-hit towns of Bohol that they will be given the assistance they need to rebuild back their homes by December. In a visit here Thursday marking the temporary inauguration of Abatan Bridge that connects the towns of Cortes and Maribojoc, Pres. Aquino said families in identified priority areas whose houses collapsed or rendered unfit to live in after the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake on October 15 would be given housing aid under the Housing Materials Assistance Program (HMAP) of the National Housing Authority (NHA).

In fact, Aquino disclosed the NHA has given over P65 million in housing assistance to quake-affected families in two towns of Bohol under its HMAP ranging from P5,000 to P10,000 per family. “Sa kasalukuyan, naibigay na po natin ang mahigit 65 million pesos na ayuda para sa pagkukumpuni ng tahanan ng mga apektadong pamilya sa Maribojoc at Antequera,” quoted Aquino. Aquino then promised that by next month other families in identified priority areas would benefit from the government's housing assistance program. The housing assistance aims to help quake-hit families to purchase housing materials and slowly rebuild back their damaged houses.

Meanwhile, Pres. Aquino said government is studying on the rehabilitation of various decade-old churches in Bohol that crumbled to ruins, and which have been considered as our national cultural treasure. “Pinag-aaralan na rin ng National Museum, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, at National Historical Commission of the Philippines, ang rehabilitasyon ng mga gumuhong simbahan na ating National Cultural Treasure,” said Aquino. The President said in partnership with the private sector, Boholanos can be assured that the time would come when these devastated historical churches would rise again to showcase the province's rich culture. (Fayette C. Riñen)