Iloilo relocates 30 families from landslide-prone Batad village

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Thirty families living in a landslide-prone area in Barangay Nangka, Batad, have been relocated to safer ground following the turnover of permanent housing units under the Iloilo provincial government’s Purok Resilience Program last Thursday, March 19.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. led the distribution of the 30 housing units to residents of Purok 3 who have long been exposed to danger due to a mountain crack that poses an imminent landslide threat.

Among the beneficiaries is Josefina Brillantes, who expressed relief after transferring to a safer home.

“I am happy because we are finally safe from any danger,” she said.

The provincial government allocated PHP 36 million for the barangay-level housing project, which aims to provide permanent relocation for families living in high-risk areas.

Defensor said the initiative reflects a shift in disaster response planning from temporary evacuation to permanent resettlement.

“If we want to spend money on evacuation centers, why not allocate it to building houses for our relocatees? We know who these residents are and we evacuate every typhoon or disaster,” he said.

Each housing unit measures 36 square meters and includes a kitchen, bathroom, and a bedroom that can be expanded into two rooms.

The units are also designed with provisions for a loft or second-floor mezzanine.

The relocation site is equipped with a water system, rainwater harvester, solar-powered streetlights, and underground power lines to support sustainable community living.

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, with millions of Filipinos living in areas vulnerable to typhoons, flooding, landslides, and earthquakes. Permanent relocation of communities from high-risk zones has been a longstanding challenge for local governments, which have traditionally relied on temporary evacuation centers during emergencies.

Unlike conventional relocation sites, the Purok Resilience Program prioritizes accessibility to livelihoods to minimize economic disruption among beneficiaries.

The Batad resettlement area was deliberately established within or near the beneficiaries’ existing sources of income, allowing families to continue their livelihoods after relocation.

The “Resilience Village” sits on a 5,000-square-meter lot donated by the Batad municipal government, which serves as the pilot local government unit for the initiative.

Following its initial rollout, the provincial government is set to expand the program to other municipalities, including Oton, Concepcion, and Pototan.

The program has also gained national recognition after earning the Excellence in Disaster Preparedness award under the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s EXCEL Awards.

Officials present during the turnover included Vice Gov. Lee Ann Debuque, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, Batad Mayor Elvira Alarcon, Vice Mayor Steven Michael Y. Andrada, as well as other local chief executives and representatives from national government agencies.