THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Despite the fact that they are well-fed and their needs taken cared of inside the evacuation centers, Naga City’s landslide victims still dream of one day going back to their respective homes.
CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO
A month after the massive landslide that wiped out two sitios in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City, it would seem that rehabilitation and relocation of the displaced families remain at a standstill.
Until now, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has not finished its assessment of the destruction of the mountain barangay and the reasons why the landslide, of such massive proportions happened.
As of yesterday, the Naga City government had not yet received the final assessment of the DENR Central Office, which would also contain a clearance as to who among the 1,600 families now at 11 evacuation centers, would be allowed to return to their homes and who would need to be relocated.
“Ongoing gihapon ang assessment sa DENR. They’re doing some tests [on] georesistivity [through the] geo penetrating radars nga gigamit nila. As of now, stay put and stand by ta. Maghuwat ta sa final report sa DENR(We will wait for the final report of the DENR),” said Naga City Mayor Kristine Chiong after a closed-door meeting with officials of the Environment Department on Friday.
Chiong said she is hoping that the DENR will be able to finally present the final assessment of the areas in the periphery of the landslide area and determine the final extent of the danger zone delineation.
Delineation
The first team of geologists from the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau (MBG) Central Office initially delineated around 170 hectares as critical or an immediate danger zone surrounding and within ground zero.
Chiong said they have already identified at least 400 households that will be displaced based on the initial delineation.
“Ang housing [beneficiaries] di pa gyod nato ma-finalize kay wala pa man ang final critical zone. Possible nga dili na na mao ang critical zone sa final report sa DENR,” said Chiong.
Felma Atay, a resident of Sitio Sindulan 3 in Barangay Tinaan, her husband and two children have been staying at the Enan Chiong Activity Center with at least 360 other families for one month now.
Albeit the sufficiency of food, water and sanitary supplies from the local government unit (LGU), Atay said she has been longing to be have a new home where she and her family could start a new life.
“Lisod-lisod gyod. Mas nindot man gyod kung naa sa atong kaugalingon nga panimalay. Gusto unta nga mouli kung naa mi kaulian pero wala na man mi kaulian,” said Atay.
(It’s really hard to stay here long. It is better to have our own home. We want to go home but we don’t have anywhere to go.)
The house that Atay and her family were renting in Sitio Sindulan 3 were among those totally damaged by the landslide.
Because they were only leasing the house they were living in, Atay said they still do not know if they will be included as among the beneficiaries of the socialized housing relocation project of the LGU and the national Housing Authority (NHA) for the landslide victims.
“Maghulat lang gyod mi unsa ilang pamaagi namo. Di man pod pwede nga magsigi mig reklamo nila kay sila pod gani diha gikapoy pod na kay daghan baya kaayo mi. Gikapoy sad mi pero kana sila nakasabot baya na sila namo so mosabot lang pod mi nila kung unsa ilang pamaagi,” Atay told Cebu Daily News.
(We will just have to wait for the move of government. We can’t keep on complaining because we know that they are also tired of caring for all of us. We are also tired and they are trying to empathize with us so we also need to understand and wait for their decision.)
“Kung dili mi maapil, mangita lang gyod mi’g paagi. Di man pod mi pwede nga mamugos pero maayo unta kon matabangan mi,” the 37-year-old mother said while trying to hold back her tears.
(If we will not be included in the relocation, we really need to find our own way to start a new life. We can’t force them to include us but we hope they will still help us.)
Socialized Housing
Even without the final DENR assessment, Chiong said they have already started the processes for the construction of the socialized housing project for the landslide victims.
The Naga City LGU has pledged to construct an 80-unit housing project similar in design to that of the 320-unit housing project that the NHA has pledged for the landslide victims.
The housing project will be constructed at a 2.1 hectare portion of the 24.7-hectare province-owned Balili property in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City.
“Now that the Cebu Provincial Government already donated the property, nag-process na ta para sa atong initial funding of P25 million para maka-start na. The NHA is also complying with all the requirements para pod sa pagsugod sa ilahang portion sa relocation,” said Chiong.
Chiong also said that once the final assessment of the DENR will be available, they will also finalize the scheme of helping those who will be displaced by the delineation while waiting for the completion of the relocation.
For renters like Atay, Chiong said the LGU will look for ways to assist them in their relocation or their move to another area.
“Per household man gud ta so kung kinsa ang tag-iya sa household, mao na atong na-identify. Naa tay mga final unya nga scheme but the processes nato in implementing it, we will have some considerations like sa kanang mga nag-rent,” the mayor said.
Prayers
Meanwhile, as the landslide affected residents mark the first month since the tragic landslide today, survivors and their relatives will offer prayers for those who perished in the tragedy.
At 4 a.m. today, the evacuees at the ECAC composed of families from the three puroks of Sitio Sindulan will hold an Aurora or dawn rosary procession.
Theresa Alforque, a resident of Sitio Sindulan II, said they will pray for the eternal rest of the souls of those who died in the massive slide.
“Mag-pray para sa mga kalag sa mga namatay ug para malikay namo ang trahedya,” said 66-year-old Alforque.