IOM and ECHO, the humanitarian aid branch of the European
Commission, have turned over 200 temporary shelters to families
displaced by Bicol's November 2006 Typhoon Durian.

The homes, which are equipped with electricity, kitchens and
toilets, are at the Listana Transit Site in Mayon, Daraga, Albay,
and replace makeshift shelters erected immediately after the
typhoon.

ECHO initially funded IOM's Bicol relief operations in the
immediate aftermath of the typhoon, which delivered food, non-food
items and shelter materials to the typhoon survivors through
mid-2007.

The ECHO-funded Albay shelter project aims to relieve
overcrowding in evacuation centres set up after the disaster by
creating new transit communities with better living
conditions. 

The project has already built 857 temporary shelters in 16
transit sites throughout Albay, housing a total of 792 displaced
families. It has also provided leadership, health, sanitation,
disaster preparedness and livelihood training in the sites.

For more information, please contact:

Mark Maulit

IOM Philippines

Tel: +639215763047

E-mail: "mailto:mmaulit@iom.int">mmaulit@iom.int