The City of Dumaguete has called on barangay captains of riverside communities to stop residents from rebuilding their homes that were damaged by Tropical Storm Sendong.
City Administrator William Ablong told the MetroPost in an interview that the move comes after Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria issued a “no return” order to the settlers whose homes were either damaged or washed away by the flash flood last Dec. 17.
Ablong said the City aims to clear 20 meters of land from either side of the river, as provided for by Presidential Decree 1067, which will be planted to some trees and bamboo.
Admitting that this would require “strong political will,” Ablong said that if the barangay officials are unable to stop the residents from rebuilding their damaged homes, the City would then direct Task Force Sagarr, the Mayor’s action team, to do the job.
In a meeting of the City Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council last Monday, it was noted that most, if not all of the damaged riverside homes, have started rebuilding in the same hazard-prone sites along barangays Batinguel, Junob, Candau-ay, Barangay 8, Bagacay, Tabuc-tubig, Taclobo and Cadawinonan, where 450 homes were totally damaged by Sendong.
Sendong had also caused partial damage to 1,772 homes in Dumaguete City, affecting a total of 3,138 people.
Ablong said he has made representation with the Perpetual Help Credit Cooperative and the Dumaguete City Credit Cooperative to stop issuing calamity loans for storm victims, until the City identifies a suitable relocation site.
He said the Gawad Kalinga has a site that could be used for the core shelter units to by built out of the P26 million funding fromt he Department of Social Welfare & Development. Each unit, worth P70,000, comes with one room and a toilet/bath.
In the meantime, Ablong said they are negotiating for the evacuees to set up tents in a 5,000 square meter lot near the GK Village.
Barangay captains were also asked to identify lands in their areas which could be used as temporary relocation sites.
Ablong said the City will rent the land through a lease contract for at least one year. Once the barangay captain has established contact with the landowner, the City will have to confirm that the land is not prone to floods or landslides, Ablong said.
Meanwhile, all schools in the flood-hit areas in Negros Oriental welcomed their pupils Tuesday.
The Department of Education in the City of Dumaguete said the evacuees who occupied the Batinguel Elementary School have since left the premises but some 11 families are still camped in tents behind the Candau-ay Elementary School.
Rosalima Lacorte of the City Division Office said the families stay in tents during the day, and occupy three classrooms as sleeping quarters at nighttime.
Over by the town of Sibulan, the Tubtubon Elementary School still houses 24 families, although that did not stop classes from proceeding last Tuesday, according to Rose Abiera of the Provincial Schools Division Office.
