Manila, June 24 -- Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday renewed his call for a dedicated disaster rehabilitation body, saying communities hit by calamities need sustained rebuilding efforts after relief operations end.

Cayetano made the appeal after visiting earthquake-hit communities in Davao Region, Sarangani and General Santos City on June 23.

"Ang aming gusto ay lumakas ang ating rehabilitation. Magaling na ang gobyerno sa relief pero 'yung rehabilitation hindi nabibigyan ng sapat na atensyon (What we want is to strengthen rehabilitation. The government is already good at relief, but rehabilitation does not receive enough attention)," he said.

Cayetano said the country has seen recovery efforts disrupted by new ...