By CESAR JOLITO III
More than 200 families living in newly declared no-build zones along the shoreline in Negros Occidental’s Hinigaran town are expected to be relocated following the widespread destruction caused by Typhoon “Tino” to their communities earlier this month.
Hinigaran Mayor Mary Grace Arceo said the relocation is a necessary step after “Tino” devastated coastal communities in Barangays Tagda and Aranda, flattening homes and disrupting the livelihood of around 300 fisherfolk.
“We have areas where every typhoon brings severe flooding,” Arceo said.
The mayor stressed that the local government aims to keep families close to their fishing grounds whenever possible.
“We want to relocate them to a safer place — preferably within the same barangay — so their source of income will not be affected,” she added.
However, if no suitable land is available within the affected barangays, residents may be transferred to an 11-hectare municipal property in Barangay Gargato’s Sitio Acacia.
As of now, the municipal government is still waiting for reports from other barangays to determine whether more families need relocation under the safety-driven initiative.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. earlier committed P5 million to support Hinigaran’s recovery efforts during his visit on November 15.
Typhoon “Tino” left widespread devastation across the municipality, affecting 23,681 families — or 92,269 individuals — in 24 barangays, based on data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Ten residents of Hinigaran were confirmed dead in the aftermath of the storm.
The local government said relocation efforts will prioritize both public safety and livelihood preservation as communities begin rebuilding after the deadly typhoon.
Moises Padilla opens free relocation site
The Moises Padilla municipal government has declared former residential areas of 362 households as no-build zones following the deadly flash floods caused by Typhoon “Tino,” as Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo unveiled a one-hectare relocation site to provide permanent resettlement for displaced families.
In a meeting with affected residents and barangay leaders at the Municipal Auditorium on Wednesday, November 19, Garcia-Yulo said the designation of no-build zones was mandated after national government assessments found the areas to be at high risk for future life-threatening flooding.
A one-hectare property in Barangay Inolingan — donated by the mayor’s uncle, Eric Golez — has been identified as the relocation site.
The mayor said this donation circumvents lengthy procurement processes and allows the locality to begin development immediately.
Relocation remains voluntary. Some families have indicated they may rebuild on land provided by relatives or seek other housing arrangements.
Focus on community infra, not cash payouts
Garcia-Yulo also clarified that the P10 million assistance from President Marcos Jr. will not be released as cash aid, noting that such distribution would amount to only around P800 per affected family.
Instead, she said the funds will be allocated for high-impact community projects, including the repair of the hanging footbridge between Barangays Guinpana-an and Quintin Remo, as well as the procurement of housing materials for relocation-site development.
The mayor added she will coordinate with the provincial government to secure additional building materials for the families.
With limited manpower and resources, Moises Padilla has appealed for community participation to speed up home construction once ground development begins.
“We need teamwork to rebuild faster,” Garcia-Yulo told residents.
The local government released its validated housing damage assessment endorsed to national agencies:
* 362 houses washed out — which means residents cannot return and are eligible for relocation
* 566 houses totally damaged — residents may rebuild their existing lots
* 3,856 houses partially damaged — less than 50 percent structural damage
Cash assistance for totally and partially damaged homes will come directly from national government agencies.
As many families lost school supplies, learning materials, and belongings, the locality is studying the adoption of modular learning for the short term.
“The students are not yet ready to return to face-to-face classes,” the mayor said./CJ, WDJ