• RICHARD T. CABALLERO JR.
More than 600 families in the towns of La Castellana and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, are set to be relocated after flash floods consumed their homes during the height of Typhoon Tino, while the resumption of classes remains on hold.
In the town of Moises Padilla, 362 families lost their homes entirely due to the typhoon. Mayor Ella Celestina Yulo said that the local government is seeking relocation sites in Barangays Inolingan, Quentin Remo, and Magallon Cadre.
Based on guidelines by the municipal government of Moises Padilla, the victims were categorized into three categories. These are washed-out victims or those who lost their home entirely and were not allowed to rebuild their homes in the same area. More than 500 in the totally and partially damaged categories are allowed for rebuilding.
The town has received P10 million in recovery aid from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which they will utilize for relocation and recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, the schedule for the resumption of classes in the town remains uncertain, based on Yulo.
“I seek the DepEd and private schools to not resume classes since everyone has traumatic experiences, so if we bombard them [students and teachers] with modules and deadlines, it might get worse,” Yulo stressed, citing that even teachers have been struggling after the onslaught of the typhoon.
In La Castellana, more than 300 families are also slated for relocation, but suitable land has yet to be secured, Vice Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said.
The affected towns are looking for a site to relocate families affected. The first sites purchased were intended for families affected by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption last year, so local authorities are still looking for additional relocation areas.
Families located within permanent danger zones will be relocated in accordance with local government implementation, based on the legal framework of Republic Act No. 10121, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, which prohibits rebuilding in high-risk zones. Families in Moises Padilla whose homes were totally or partially damaged, but are outside the danger zones are allowed to rebuild.
While most towns are expected to resume classes next week, several classrooms in La Castellana remain unavailable due to structural damage or continued use as evacuation centers, where thousands of internally displaced individuals are taking temporary shelter.
Coordination with the Department of Education is ongoing to determine which classrooms can safely be used.
In La Castellana alone, 7,760 houses were totally or partially damaged. The town also recorded 13 deaths, 14 missing persons, and 4 injured, based on the data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office as of November 14.
A total of 1,657 families, or 5,819 individuals, remain in 27 evacuation centers across La Castellana as clearing and relief operations continue.
Mayor Anejo Nicor had already personally raised the issue of relocation to PBBM during the presidential visit on Saturday, as Marcos vowed continuous assistance for the localities severely hit by the typhoon in the province.
For the meantime, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) provided more than 150 family tents for the victims of the Kanlaon eruption.*
