GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The provincial government of South Cotabato has allocated an initial P1.2 million for the relocation to a safer area of some 35 families situated in a flood and landslide-prone community in Polomolok town.
Milagros Rivera, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said Friday the funds will mainly be utilized for the acquisition of a relocation site at a portion of Barangay Landan, Polomolok.
She said the local government, through Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes, earlier approved the release of the funding to facilitate the relocation process.
The identified beneficiaries are all residents of Purok 1-A of Barangay Landan who were affected by severe floods and landslides in the area in May last year, she said.
Some 150 residents of the community were forced to evacuate on May 17 last year due to heavy flooding and landslides following hours of heavy rains.
At least three houses were totally destroyed while seven others sustained partial damages as a result of the incident.
Rivera said the local government decided to permanently relocate the affected residents as the area was considered as highly prone to landslides and flashfloods.
She said such assessment was affirmed by experts from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in Region 12.
The identified relocation site, which was earlier endorsed by the municipal government of Polomolok, is also located in the same village, she said.
The official said they have asked the MGB-12 to conduct a geohazard assessment of the area to determine whether it is safe for dwelling.
In line with the initiative, she said they also conducted a profiling and assessment of the prospective beneficiaries.(Frances Kristine Alvero/PNA)
