FOURTH District Representative Jeffrey Ferrer will provide the down payment for the purchase of the relocation site for the 32 families in Pulupandan.
Governor Isidro Zayco said they are looking at the possibility of acquiring eight lots at 100 square meters each, or a total of 800 square meters costing P400,000 and added that each family will occupy 25 square meters each.
Zayco said Ferrer will shoulder half of the cost of the lots while the remaining P200,000 will be paid by the 32 families, the governor added.
Zayco, however, said the granting of lots to each family will be subject to validation whether they are qualified to avail of the lots.
Last March 5, the evictees had a dialogue with Zayco at the Provincial Capitol to ask him to provide them a relocation site outside their town claiming that they are being harassed there.
Zayco said he called Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who agreed to temporarily house the evicted residents at the Social Development Center beside the Bacolod Bays Center.
The evicted families had been staying at the Bishop’s Palace last week after holding an 8-hour stations of the cross from Pulupandan the other week.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Philippine National Police (Noppo) director, Police Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix met with Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos.
Felix discussed with the Defense secretary various issues and concerns relative to the eviction/demolition of Pulupandan townsfolk and the actions taken by the inter-agencies that earlier met to find ways to assist the displaced residents.
The Noppo director also briefed Gonzales as to the peace and order situation in the town as well as the Philippine National Police' preparations for the upcoming May 10 elections. (Teresa Ellera-Dulla with George M. de la Cruz)