The reconstruction grants of PRs175,000 per household offered by the government was for 400 square foot area. This was substantially lower than the prevailing rates for the desired standard of seismic-resilient construction. About 60% of the rebuilt houses were 500-999 square feet. A pre- and post-earthquake comparison (footnote 10) showed that the overall proportion of houses with less than 1,000 square feet had increased from 65% to 80%. These figures show that the government grants were not enough to satisfy the seismic-compliant construction standards and provide the required living space for families. The inadequacy of the grants may have resulted in the construction of smaller houses or the omission of essential seismic-resistant features, or both. In the future, the size of compensation grants must take into account the higher costs of applying seismic-resistant building standards and the average house size.
Earthquake-Displaced People Livelihood Restoration Program