The Bacolod City government has started releasing its financial assistance to the families in Purok Mahimulaton, Barangay Banago in Bacolod City who will be displaced by the city's clearing operations.

Councilor Dindo Ramos, chairman of the Committee on Urban Poor, Housing and Resettlement, yesterday said majority of the 34 affected families have received their assistance and have indicated that they will voluntarily vacate the area.

He said some are temporarily sheltered in the Pala-pala site in Purok Mahimulaton while their relocation area is being prepared by the City Engineer's Office.

Ramos said the “back-filling” of the area in the Kimara Association is more than 50 percent complete. He said the relocation site in Vista Alegre-Garanada is also ready for the affected residents but they want to live near their source of livelihood so the city found a way to accommodate them in Kimara and the seawall in Purok Mahimulaton.

He said the city has performed its moral and legal obligation to the affected residents of Banago. However, if they refuse to accept it, the city has to take drastic steps to solve the flood problem.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the city has started its clearing operations in Banago and there will be more areas to be covered especially because Sipalay City has agreed to lend its dredging machine to the city and the contract is now being formalized.

He said those living near the waterways, rivers and creeks must be prepared for clearing operations in their areas to be conducted.

Leonardia said he has requested the barangay captains to help prevent more squatter families from establishing structures in the rivers, creeks or waterways of their barangays.

He thanked Banago Brgy. Captain Roel Cordova for being actively involved in the relocation of the Banago residents in coordination with Ramos and Councilor Roberto Rojas, as well as, Fr. Aniceto Buenafe and the Social Action Center . He also thanked the residents of Purok Mahimulaton for their cooperation.

Meanwhile, Ramos said that if there are people planting rice in the Vista Alegre-Granada (Abada-Escay) relocation site it is because the area is not inhabited since it has not yet been surveyed.

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella had claimed that there some residents facing demolition who could not relocate to the Abada-Escay because of the rice plantation in the area.

Ramos said the vacant area in the relocation site has not been surveyed so there are no boundaries that have been delineated and there are some areas that are still depressed and need to be filled up. He said the Bacolod Housing Authority has been given a budget so it can start the survey.

The area was reserved for the city employees but since it is needed by the Banago residents, the Mayor had it converted, Ramos said.

If the area was planted with rice, he said he believes, this had been done in the previous administration.

Ramos said there is an area in Abada-Escay designated for the Brgy. 8 residents who are facing demolition but some refuse to avail of it because there are requirements like attending seminars asked by the Gawad Kalinga.*CGS

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