Saturday, August 16, 2008 1,000 families remain at evacuation centers in SK
LAMBAYONG, Sultan Kudarat -- Around 1,400 families are still staying at 10 evacuation centers in this town, while 170 others are living with relatives more than a month after floods hit the province last June 22.
Henry Albano, officer-in-charge of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office and executive officer of Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, said the victims could not yet return to their homes as water levels in their barangays unpredictably rise and subside.
"We are also expecting more rains particularly in August as Pag-asa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration) reported that 10 more typhoons may enter the country until December," he added.
The province, he said, is putting mitigating measures to respond to emergencies that may arise from the downpour.
Albano said at least 7,302 families in Lambayong were affected by the floodwaters from Allah River that swept through farmlands and communities due to heavy rains brought by typhoon Frank.
The provincial government, government line agencies, and non-government organizations are providing food ration thrice a week to the people at the evacuation centers.
A total of 12,454 families from Palimbang, Kalamansig, Lebak, Isulan, Esperanza, Lambayong, Bagumbayan, and Sen. Ninoy Aquino, all in Sultan Kudarat, were affected, according to Albano.
In Lambayong, said to be the rice granary of the region, the floods reportedly damaged around 6,000 hectares of palay farmlands that are at different stages of the production cycle, costing around P155 million. Damages in infrastructure are estimated to be at P179 million, including the 15-kilometer highway connecting this town and Sultan sa Barongis in Maguindanao.
In the peace and development community of Zeneben, at least 251 hectares of the 280 hectares of farmlands were damaged. Most of these farms are now covered with sand brought by the floodwaters.
The water only started to subside in the village last August 1, according to barangay councilor Ali Bigkug. But the evacuees who take shelter in the barangay center refuse to go home yet due to erratic movement of the water levels. Zeneben is an outlying barangay that is nine kilometers from Lambayong proper.
The provincial government provided them five bancas while 10 more were issued by the barangay government for transportation and livelihood purposes.
"Natuto kaming mangisda sa aming mga palayan na kinain na ng ilog. Kailangan naming mabuhay (We learn how to catch fish in our farmlands that are now consumed by the river. We need to survive)," Bigkug added.
Bigkug said they received twice food packs containing rice and sardines from the local government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development and once from GoP-UN ACT for Peace Programme.
At least 91 families from Barangay Caridad and 260 families from adjacent Tukarakuden, Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao received plastic water containers from the ACT for Peace Programme in coordination with the South Central Mindanao Peace and Development Advocates Coalition and the respective barangay officials.
Residents from these barangays stayed at their homes, trapped during the height of the floods as creeks swelled in the area.
"Ang kailangan namin ngayon ay gamit panghanapbuhay? Lambat at bangka. At kung magsubside na ang tubig, sana makakuha kami ng binhi at makapagsimula muli (What we need now are tools for livelihood? Fishing nets and bancas. Once the water subsides, we hope we can access palay seeds so that we can start again)," Bigkug added.
