SAN JOSE, DINAGAT ISLANDS-As people approach this town from the sea on a bright day, they can immediately notice new roofs glisten under the sun, a sign that more than 2,000 families here have rebuilt some of their homes that were ravaged by Typhoon "Odette" (international name: Rai) on Dec. 16 last year.

"We are gradually getting back on our feet. We cannot say we are 100-percent OK but our lives are getting better, although, you can still see ruins and debris along the way," said Dr. Aimee Jimeno, a veterinarian who is also provincial administrator of Dinagat Islands, one of the areas in Caraga region hardest hit by the typhoon.

Jimeno said Odette either damaged or destroyed some 30,000 houses, many government offices and public infrastructure, such as barangay halls, health stations, school buildings, markets and hospitals, all amounting to about P3 billion.

While the province's 128,117 residents in seven towns are inching toward recovery, the destruction of classrooms and school buildings is making the upcoming elections a big logistical challenge for the Commission on Elections (Comelec).