Mayor offers free relocation site to flood victims

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo has announced the availability of a free one-hectare relocation site in Barangay Inolingan for 362 families whose homes were destroyed by flash floods triggered by Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi).

During a meeting Wednesday at the Municipal Auditorium with affected residents and barangay officials, Garcia-Yulo confirmed that the national government has declared the former residential areas of the 362 households as no-build zones due to life-threatening risks.

The relocation site will be donated by the mayor’s uncle, Eric Golez, a move Garcia-Yulo said will allow for faster development than purchasing land, which requires lengthy documentation.

Relocation is voluntary, and some residents said they have alternative housing options.

To support the construction of new homes, Garcia-Yulo said she will request additional assistance from the provincial government and Rep. Dino Yulo to help secure building materials.

Garcia-Yulo also clarified the use of the PHP 10 million in assistance from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying it will not be distributed as cash.

She explained that giving cash would amount to only about PHP 800 per family and would have limited long-term impact.

Instead, the funds will support high-impact community projects, such as repairing the hanging footbridge between Barangays Guinpana-an and Quintin Remo or procuring housing materials for the relocation site.

With limited resources, Garcia-Yulo asked residents to participate in community labor to speed up home construction.

She also presented the official housing damage report submitted to national agencies.

There are 362 washed-out houses, meaning residents cannot return and are eligible for relocation.

There are 566 totally damaged houses, allowing residents to rebuild on their existing lots.

There are 3,856 partially damaged houses with less than 50 percent structural damage.

Garcia-Yulo emphasized that cash assistance for damaged homes will come directly from the national government and not from the local government unit.

Due to the widespread loss of homes and belongings, she said the municipal government is considering modular learning as a temporary solution while families recover, as many students are not yet ready to return to in-person classes.