Guv orders relocation of landslide victims

ARAYAT --- After consecutive visits at the evacuation center of the landslide victims in this town, Governor Lilia Pineda ordered the provincial engineer to speed up to speed up the provision of temporary shelters at the proposed relocation area.

Pineda said she “cannot allow the victims to live long in despair like sardines under their makeshift shelters and dilapidated building” inside the compound of the Arayat National Park in Barangay San Juan Bano.

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Armando Austria, Provincial Engineer, to speed up the provision of temporary shelters at the proposed relocation area for the said landslide victims.

"Marami na sa kanila ang dinadapuan ng sakit na tuberkulosis dahil sa lamig at init. Nagtitiis sila sa lakas ng ulan at nagsasama-sama sila sa iisang kumot tuwing gabi. Sinong hindi maaawa sa kanila sa gayong napakasamang kalagayan? (Most of them are getting tuberculosis because of the changing weather. They share one blanket. Who would not pity them for being in an awful situation? ” Pineda said.

Pineda appealed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to allow her administration to construct temporary bunkhouses in a proposed relocation site also near the mountain.

Pineda said she told the DENR that the bunkhouses will be used by the affected families temporarily just to get them out from their present condition inside their shanties.

It can be recalled that the DENR-MGB has disapproved the said relocation site in San Juan Bano as it is near the mountain and located within the danger zone.

In her recent visit, the governor distributed relief goods and provided needed assistance to the almost one thousand individuals in the area.

Aside from relief goods, a total of 500 bowls of “lugaw” provided by Mayor Annette Balgan of Macabebe town were distributed to the families.

Pineda was joined by some provincial board members, municipal, and barangay officials.