Naga dangles P150,000 offer to 444 families

CONSULTATION MEETING. City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong (left) talks to evacuees from landslide-stricken areas about the City’s offer: move in to the relocation site either in the Balili property in Barangay Tina-an or in Barangay Valencia in Carcar City or take the money and rebuild somewhere else. (SunStar photo/Alex Badayos)
CONSULTATION MEETING. City of Naga Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong (left) talks to evacuees from landslide-stricken areas about the City’s offer: move in to the relocation site either in the Balili property in Barangay Tina-an or in Barangay Valencia in Carcar City or take the money and rebuild somewhere else. (SunStar photo/Alex Badayos)

THE City Government of Naga is offering up to P150,000 to families affected by the deadly landslide in Barangay Tina-an last September.

Mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong said they approached an initial 444 families living in areas identified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) as “danger zones” to prevent them from returning to their homes.

Aside from the financial assistance, the affected families were also given the option to accept the housing provided by the National Housing Authority (NHA) in two identified relocation sites in the Balili property in Naga and in Barangay Valencia in Carcar City.

Chiong said they need to decongest the city’s 11 evacuation centers.

Some of the families were willing to accept the City’s offer.

During a consultation meeting with the 444 families on Thursday, Nov. 1, Chiong admitted that their current resources might not be able to support the evacuation centers in the next few months.

She said reports provided by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the MGB identifying the city’s danger zones cannot be addressed immediately. The matter has to be acted upon “one at a time,” she said.

“The enormous and immense environmental, social, financial and economic impact of the DENR-MGB report to the affected families and the city in general has made the City Government financially challenged beyond capacity,” Chiong said.

Although the assessment of their expenditures after the landslide is still ongoing, City Administrator Arthur Villamor said they already spent a significant amount to manage the 11 evacuation centers that house at least 1,600 families.

Although they don’t spend much on food because of various donations, Villamor said the City still spends a lot providing 24-hour electricity, water and other utilities to the evacuation centers.

The City also shouldered burial and medical expenses of those who died and survived.

After explaining the situation to the evacuees, Chiong then gave them two options: accept the relocation site either at the Balili property or the NHA’s housing site in Barangay Valencia in Carcar City, or take the P50,000 and rebuild elsewhere.

The City will also give them P50,000 as humanitarian aid and P50,000 if their house was destroyed during search and retrieval operations. However, they will only get P20,000 if their house was damaged.

If they accept the cash, they have to leave the evacuation center, Chiong said.

Those who have titled properties in the danger zones can keep their properties and avail themselves of the financial assistance, but they cannot return to their homes unless they secure a certification from the DENR and MGB, she said.

As to the families who have yet to be offered the aid, Chiong said they will hold consultations with them in the next few days.

Amy Omambac, whose house is in a danger zone in Barangay Mainit, said she and her family will accept the City’s offer.

“Mas okay pa nga mudawat mi kaysa magpabilin mi sa evacuation center nga dili mi magkadimao (It’s chaos in the evacuation center),” Omambac told SunStar Cebu.

Nena Alinsonorin said her family will accept the offer to relocate to the Balili property since it is safer than returning to their house, but they need to find a place to stay in the meantime.

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