100 families refuse to leave Talisay homes

Some of the residents of barangay Manipis, Talisay City are concerned about being forced to relocate a few days after a landslide hit the area. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

More than a hundred families from two landslide-prone barangays in Talisay City continue to defy a City Hall appeal for them to evacuate from their houses.

Two landslides were reported in barangays Manipis and Camp IV at the height of Thursday’s heavy downpour caused by tropical storm Mario. A boulder also fell on the national highway in sitio Tangub, barangay Langtad last Friday.

The highway snaking through these barangays was already cleared of debris and is now passable to vehicles.

City Information Officer Vince Monterde said City Hall had long asked the residents to move to safer ground.

At least four families live by the mountainside in barangay Camp IV, and their houses were among those damaged in the landslide. Still, residents declined City Hall’s  offer for them to  relocate.

“Nihangyo sila nga didto lang usa sa ilaha. Og mouwan gani, ayha ra kuno sila mohawa,” said Monterde. (They insisted on staying, but promises to move out when rains come again.)

Monterde said that although a number of families have moved out of the disaster-prone areas and are now living with their relatives, many still opt to live in tents that were pitched near their damaged houses.

Those who already left their houses occasionally check on their homes.

He said there are about 60 families in barangay Camp IV and about 40 families in barangay Manipis that have yet to be evacuated.

The families were offered spaces in the unused public market in Lagtang as relocation.

“Siyempre, nibalibad gyud sila. Ang ilang mga panginabuhian, mga kahayupan kay naa man gud sa bukid,” said Monterde. (They don’t want to leave their farms and livestock.)