Moises Padilla gets PHP 10M aid; Lacson explains LGU allocations

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo of Moises Padilla on Tuesday received PHP 10 million in financial assistance following the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino, as Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson urged local government units to understand the unequal distribution of aid based on damage assessments.

Garcia-Yulo accepted the check during the official turnover ceremony held at the Social Hall of the Negros Occidental Provincial Capitol.

She expressed gratitude for the assistance, saying that what matters most is that affected residents will receive help.

“Even if the amount is small, it is important because people will still receive assistance,” the mayor told reporters in an ambush interview after the ceremony.

She also thanked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for the PHP 10 million provided by the national government.

Garcia-Yulo said the total PHP 20 million assistance—PHP 10 million from the national government and PHP 10 million from the provincial government—will be discussed on Thursday, as the utilization plan must still be deliberated by the Sangguniang Bayan.

She clarified that the funds are not limited to housing assistance and may also be used for food and other immediate recovery needs of typhoon-affected families.

On the municipality’s relocation program, the mayor said a geodetic engineer has already begun subdividing the proposed relocation site.

She said the lot allocations will be submitted to the Sangguniang Bayan for the formulation of the implementing rules and regulations.

Garcia-Yulo explained that beneficiaries will be required to reside on their assigned lots for a specific period before ownership is awarded to avoid future disputes.

More than 100 families are expected to benefit from the relocation project, and she added that her uncle, Eric Golez, is prepared to donate an additional hectare of land should the initial area prove insufficient.

Meanwhile, Lacson reiterated that the PHP 50 million assistance from Malacañang was allocated based on validated damage assessments conducted by provincial and national disaster response teams, noting that Typhoon Tino caused varying levels of destruction across Negros Occidental in November 2025.

“While we are grateful for the PHP 50 million extended by the national government, we must recognize that not all LGUs were affected in the same way,” Lacson said.

Only LGUs classified as severely affected qualified for the assistance, with Moises Padilla, La Carlota City, and La Castellana each receiving PHP 10 million.

Bago City, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan were allotted PHP 5 million each, while Isabela and Pontevedra received PHP 2.5 million each.

Lacson said the funds are intended strictly for rehabilitation and recovery efforts, including debris clearing, repair of critical infrastructure, support for affected farmers and fisherfolk, and assistance to displaced families.

He added that the provincial government will closely monitor fund utilization to ensure transparency and proper implementation while continuing to coordinate with national agencies for additional support to other affected LGUs.