By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental 4th District Representative Jeffrey Ferrer is calling for the immediate relocation of families displaced by Typhoon “Tino,” as the Office of Civil Defense reported that more than 600 houses in the district were completely destroyed.
Ferrer said temporary shelters and evacuation centers were only short-term solutions, emphasizing the need for permanent and safer relocation sites for residents who lost their homes to the storm’s devastation.
“Many of them remain in evacuation centers and cannot go home because they have nothing to return to,” Ferrer said.
“I have already asked our local chief executives to identify a suitable parcel of land where these families can be permanently relocated,” he added.
The solon said that while relief efforts continue, the long-term focus must shift toward disaster-resilient housing and stricter land-use enforcement to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II echoed Ferrer’s call, urging residents not to rebuild homes in hazard-prone areas and local governments to strictly enforce no-build zones identified in scientific hazard maps provided by the Department of Science and Technology.
“If we continue to allow structures in hazard zones, destructive floods and lahar flows will keep happening,” Diaz said.
He also linked the widespread flooding and landslides during Typhoon “Tino” to environmental degradation and possible illegal activities in upland areas.
“Climate change is inevitable, and storms are getting stronger,” Diaz warned.
“We must stop environmental abuses and illegal developments that worsen the impacts of disasters. These actions lead not only to property loss but also to human casualties,” the provincial administrator added.
Ferrer said he personally inspected the typhoon-ravaged localities in his district, as he witnessed firsthand the devastation that engulfed Barangay Roberto S. Benedicto in La Carlota City and Barangay Don Salvador Benedicto in neighboring Pontevedra town.
He attributed the severity of the flooding to a dangerous combination of heavy rainfall and debris originating from the uplands amid “Tino” on November 4, which destroyed schools, bridges and vital public infrastructure in the 4th District.
“The force of the water was compounded by the sheer volume of logs and lumber that clogged our bridges, causing them to buckle and unleashing a torrent of water into our communities,” Ferrer pointed out.
While acknowledging the potential role of natural factors, such as landslides triggered by earthquakes and volcanic activity on Kanlaon Volcano, Ferrer earlier cited the importance of investigating human activities, such as illegal logging and quarrying, in the uplands.
He called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to conduct an immediate inspection of the volcano’s upper slopes, emphasizing the possibility that the illegal activities in the area may have worsened flooding and landslides during “Tino.”
“I am not prepared to point fingers without concrete evidence,” Ferrer said, stating accountability for those who violate environmental regulations./CJ, WDJ