With hundreds of families still struggling after Super Typhoon Sinlaku, the Saipan Mayor’s Office opened its disaster tent program Monday, launching an in‑person application system to help residents secure temporary shelter while federal assessments continue.
BODY: Facing widespread housing damage and blocked access across the island, the Saipan Mayor’s Office opened its disaster tent program this week, assisting more than 500 residents on its first day.
The in‑person program, launched Monday, is intended to help households displaced by Super Typhoon Sinlaku secure temporary shelter while FEMA conducts its formal assessments.
Benjamin Maratita, communication liaison for the Mayor’s Office, said the process was designed to be straightforward for families navigating the early stages of recovery.
The office is accepting applications from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, with no end date yet announced. Applicants must submit forms in person; no online or emailed copies will be accepted. Residents are required to bring an ID or passport, and heads of household must list the names, ages, and sex of all household members; describe how their home was affected; and provide a hand‑drawn map of their property, including a house number if applicable.
“It’s an easy two‑step application process,” Maratita said. “Submission does not guarantee you a disaster tent, but it does get you in that queue for FEMA to do their assessments, and that is important for the public to know.”
The Mayor’s Office has set up accommodations for manamko or senior citizens and residents with special needs, offering step‑by‑step assistance for those who require help completing the application. Staff reported assisting about 500 residents by early afternoon on opening day.
Maratita emphasized that the tent program is only one component of a broader, multi‑agency recovery effort.
“Right now, it’s just the Mayor’s Office disaster tent program,” he said. “FEMA has a lot more aid that they’re going to be assisting the community with.” The initiative is supported by FEMA, the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, the Department of Public Works, the Department of Corrections, and CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
He urged residents to remain patient as debris removal and access restoration continue across Saipan.
“All we ask is for patience and support in our efforts to get to the community,” Maratita said. “The mayor and the office have been working diligently to clear major access points and secondary roads that were not assessed during the storm. There are still constituents who need to be serviced and need access to essential aid.”
The Mayor’s Office is also coordinating with NGOs providing reverse‑osmosis water distribution and food assistance. Additional federal partners, including the Department of the Interior and the Department of Defense, are supporting ongoing operations. Maratita said roughly 40 California wildfire hotshot personnel are on island assisting with debris clearing and helping the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation reach damaged water wells.
“These are some of the first steps the Mayor is pushing out to the community,” he said. “We’re working closely with FEMA to get needs addressed right away, especially for homes that are affected right now. We will get to you as soon as we can. We ask for patience and support, and we’ll get through this.”
