By CESAR JOLITO III
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has begun evaluating two major infrastructure projects worth a combined P300 million in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town under the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Program, which aims to strengthen disaster resilience and connectivity in the municipality.
OCD – Negros Island Region Director Donato Sermeno III led the assessment team during an on-site visit on Tuesday, October 28, accompanied by Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo and Vice Mayor Felix Mathias Segundo “Pimpoy” Yulo III.
The evaluation seeks to finalize proposals for national funding and ensure alignment with post-disaster rehabilitation priorities following Kanlaon Volcano’s recent seismic activities.
The proposed projects include:
* P250 million for the construction of a new permanent bridge connecting Barangays 1 and Inolingan, where residents currently depend on a spillway and hanging bridge prone to flooding
* P50 million for the construction of a new spillway and hanging bridge linking Purok Paho and Hacienda Pucatod in Barangay Odiong, which serves as a vital access route for farmers and residents
Also present during the evaluation were Barangay 1 Captain Francis Bernard Garcia, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Reynald Horegue, and Municipal Engineer Agnes Glia Mabag.
Yulo emphasized that the OCD’s field assessment reflects the national government’s commitment to support local disaster recovery and resilience-building efforts.
“This collaboration strengthens our preparedness against calamities and ensures that our infrastructure can protect lives and livelihoods,” Yulo said.
She added that the municipal government continues to lobby for national funding to rehabilitate and improve critical facilities, ensuring the safety and sustainable development of Moises Padilla’s upland and lowland communities./CJ, WDJ