DAVAO CITY— Senator JV Ejercito said he will recommend the filing of charges against contractors and former government officials, over the approval of a landslide-prone area as relocation site for the survivors of Typhoon “Pablo” that hit New Bataan, Compostela Valley and other areas in 2012.
Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, conducted an ocular inspection in Purok 5, Barangay Andap in New Bataan town, which in a landslide-prone area, on Friday.
During his occular inspection, the senator was accompanied by National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager Marcelino Escalada and New Bataan Mayor Geraldford Balbin.
“This early, I would say that we will recommend the filing of case (against) erring public officials of NHA, developers para magkaroon sila ng takot sa gobyerno (so they would fear government). Parang walang takot eh. Walang takot na makulong kasi walang humahabla kaya dapat siguro may makulong (It seems like they have no fear; these people are not afraid of going to jail because no one is willing to file a case against them. Someone should be sent to jail),” he said.
Ejercito said he could not understand why the people behind the program still pushed through with project even if they already knew that the area was a danger zone.
He said people living in the area are lucky because there has been no heavy rains recently, but urged them to not wait until another disaster occurs.
He said the NHA already recommended they vacate the area, and also offered solutions–including financial assistance for the residents to look for areas far from danger.
“We do not want people to live there because we could not afford to lose life since there are already victims of a calamity before,” Ejercito said.
It can be recalled that Barangay Andap was ground zero when flashfloods caused by Typhoon “Pablo” wiped out a big part of the village.
Escalada, for his part, said his office is willing to extend assistance for the construction of houses far from the danger zone. He also committed to provide construction materials such as cement, hollow blocks, nails, among others, for the residents to start building their houses.
For those who want to avail of this option, the NHA official saud they must present documents such as land titles or certification of rights on the lot they occupied. The next option, he said, is the development of a new housing project in another place in the said barangay.
Escalada said the NHA is still waiting for the clearance of government agencies including the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
The groundbreaking of new housing units at the proposed site in Purok 4 in the same barangay will start immediately.
“So, the people will keep on checking the unit while the construction is still ongoing to make sure that their houses are being built according to the plan and design set by NHA,” he said. (Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)
