By CESAR JOLITO III
The La Castellana municipal government is moving to secure a permanent relocation site for more than 300 families displaced by Typhoon “Tino,” as local officials begin preparations for the purchase of an 8.3-hectare property in Barangay Robles.
Vice Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said the site, located within the town proper, has already been inspected by local officials.
The landowner has submitted a letter of intent expressing willingness to sell the property to the local government for use as a resettlement area.
Of the total 8.3 hectares, about six hectares are considered buildable due to the terrain, while the remaining portion has sloping areas, Mangilimutan explained.
“In Barangay Robles alone, we recorded more than 600 affected families. Many have already relocated on their own, but over 300 families are still in urgent need of permanent housing,” she said.
Families who have already transferred to new locations will receive financial assistance from the municipal government.
Mangilimutan said negotiations are ongoing as the landowner agreed to a staggered payment scheme, noting that the municipality is unable to pay for the property in a single transaction.
The site is currently undergoing assessment as part of the acquisition process.
She recalled that during the visit of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to La Castellana, the Office of the President committed P10 million, which will be primarily used to purchase land for the relocation of typhoon victims.
The municipality is now awaiting the signed deed of donation from Malacañang to formally proceed with negotiations and expedite the resettlement program.
Priority beneficiaries
The relocation project will prioritize families who lost their homes entirely during the typhoon and those living in areas classified as no-build zones.
“These include households located along riverbanks, within 15 meters of waterways, and those whose houses were totally or partially destroyed in restricted areas,” Mangilimutan said.
Each qualified family will be allocated at least 60 square meters at the relocation site for housing construction.
The vice mayor clarified that the planned relocation differs from an earlier resettlement project in Barangay Talaptap, which was funded by the provincial government for residents displaced by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
That site included livelihood assistance due to residents’ dependence on farmlands within the four-kilometer danger zone.
For typhoon-affected families, Mangilimutan said the municipal government will focus on providing safe and permanent relocation, although livelihood support is not included in the current plan./CJ, WDJ