• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
At least 100 homeless families are expected to benefit the relocation program of the Moises Padilla municipal government, disclosed Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo on Tuesday.
More than two months after Typhoon Tino badly hit the town of Moises Padilla and neighboring areas, the homeless families are still occupying the town evacuation center, as they are no longer allowed to construct their homes in the riverbanks which are now classified as no build zones by the national government.
Eric Golez, an uncle of Mayor Garcia-Yulo, has donated a one hectare lot in Moises Padilla, to be used as a relocation site for the typhoon affected families.
Garcia-Yulo, who received yesterday the P10 million financial aid from Malacañang, through the provincial government of Negros Occidental, said the beneficiaries will be required to reside on the relocation lots, for a specific period, before ownership is awarded, in order to prevent future disputes.
On top of P10 million assistance, the Moises Padilla municipal government also got another P10 million aid from the national government.
She clarified that the financial assistance is not limited to housing support, and may also be used for food, and other recovery needs of affected residents.
Garcia-Yulo expressed gratitude for the aid, saying that regardless of the amount, what matters is that assistance is available to affected residents.
“Even if the amount is small, it is important because people will still receive help,” the mayor stressed.
Mayor Garcia-Yulo also disclosed that her uncle is prepared to add another hectare of land if the initial donated area proves insufficient.*
