Some Ibo residents opt to stay in partially damaged homes

Bryan Sumalinog, resident of Sitio Apro, Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City, has opted to stay in their house that was damaged by Tropical Depression Vicky. | Futch Anthony Inso

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Some residents in Sitio Apro, Barangay Ibo in Lapu-lapu City, opted to stay in their houses even if they were partially damaged by the big waves due to Tropical Depression Vicky on Friday night, December 18, 2020.

By chance, Ka-Siloy caught residents in the area trying to salvage housing materials, such as wood and roofs, so that they can use them in repairing their houses.

Bryan Sumalinog, a 30-year-old resident who have been living in the area for 11 years, said that he would prefer to stay in their house, instead of the evacuation center in Ibo Elementary School.

Half of his house was damaged by the big waves.

“Giingon ni Mayor Ahong Chan nga naa man kunoy relocation nga ihatag sa Canjulao, unya sila na’y mohatag sa mga kahoy, tanan, para dili nami mobalik diri. So karon ayum-ayumon sa lang mintras wala pa maandam didto,” Sumalinog said.

(Mayor [Junard] Ahong Chan told us that there is a relocation site for them in [Barangay] Canjulao, and they will provide the wood, everything, so that we will not return here. So for now we will just repair this while the relocation site is not yet ready.)

Read: Chan mulls transfer of Ibo families displaced by ‘storm surge’

Maribeth Aldava, 52, on the other hand, said that even if she evacuated at the Ibo Elementary School, but her husband opted to remain in their damaged house to keep guard of their belongings.

“Gamay na lang ang haligi, kung mosaka ka didto, naa man didto akong bana ug usa ka anak. Kung mokuan mi didto, mouyog gyud siya kay gamay na lang ug haligi. Unya ang among entrance na-washout na pod,” she added.

(There was only little left of our house posts. Despite this my husband and son are there in our [partially damaged] house. If someone would go there our house will slightly shake because of the weak posts. And the entrance of our house was washed out.)

Read: Ibo evacuee-couple’s wish for Christmas: Have a safe place to stay, sleep

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan, has earlier announced that the city will build socialized housing in Barangay Canjulao, where the typhoon-affected families will be relocated./dbs