32 flood-vulnerable Oton families to get new homes

ILOILO CITY — Thirty-two families living in flood-prone areas near the Batiano River will be relocated to a new community in Barangay Botong, Oton, under the Iloilo Provincial Government’s Purok Resilience Program.

The beneficiaries include 15 families from Poblacion North, seven from San Antonio, and 10 from Tagbak Sur, who will receive new homes as part of the province’s effort to reduce disaster risks while keeping families near their sources of livelihood.

Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Vice Gov. Nathalie Ann Debuque, and Oton Mayor Sofronio Fusin Jr. led the capsule-laying and groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 22 at the 2.3-hectare project site, about nine kilometers from the town proper.

The provincial government has allocated PHP 40 million for site development and construction of the housing units, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development has set aside another PHP 14 million for basic facilities based on the beneficiaries’ needs.

Defensor said the relocation forms part of the province’s broader strategy to move families away from danger and provide them with decent housing in communities where they can continue their livelihoods.

The Purok Resilience Program was first launched in Barangay Nangka in Batad as part of the province’s community-based approach to resilient housing.

Defensor said similar projects are being lined up in Santa Barbara, Pototan, and Concepcion.

The initiative is anchored on Executive Order No. 333, which institutionalizes the provincial government’s approach to safe, resilient, and community-based housing for vulnerable families.

Defensor also cited the involvement of the DSWD, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Office of Civil Defense, local government units, and socio-civic organizations in implementing the program.

The Oton project will draw from the design of the first PRP site in Batad, where triplex shelters feature essential living spaces such as bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and living areas.

The houses are also designed with ceramic floor tiles, fiber cement board ceilings, insulated metal roofing intended to reduce heat gain, and rooftop solar panels.

Alongside the relocation initiative, the provincial government is pursuing plans to rehabilitate and develop the Batiano River corridor.

Defensor introduced the Balik Batiano River Development Project, which envisions linear parks along the river.

Although the project remains in the planning and development phase, dredging and riverbank-clearing activities have already begun.

Meanwhile, Fusin said the project goes beyond providing housing.

“Through this project, we are not only laying the foundation for a house, but also for the safety and dignity of our constituents who will have access to decent and safe homes,” he said during a program at Sen. Francisco C. Zulueta Elementary School in Barangay Trapiche.

Fusin expressed gratitude to the provincial government and other stakeholders for their support in bringing the project to the municipality.