CDO developing relocation site for flood victims

MANILA, Philippines - Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano is fast-tracking the development of a nine-hectare relocation site for former residents of flood-prone areas, like river deltas, along the Cagayan de Oro River.

“This is in line with President Aquino’s directive not to allow people to live in flood-prone areas,” Emano said.

Residents of the flooded areas had earlier asked the city government to allow them to rebuild their homes at the same sites under a so-called “piso-piso” program, but Emano pointed out that giving in to their plea would only expose them to danger when another typhoon or flood hits the city.

The affected residents had been living on the river deltas long before he was elected as the city’s chief executive.

The relocation site is part of the city’s 64-hectare resettlement project in Sitio Calaanan in Barangay Canitoan and families whose houses were totally destroyed or wiped out by the floods caused by the storm will be given priority.

Emano lamented that some bodies of flood victims had to be temporarily gathered near the landfill because local funeral parlors and mortuaries, overwhelmed by the number of flood victims, had refused to accept more corpses.

He clarified, however, that he was negotiating with the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines for the use of the firm’s hangar in Lumbia to house the bodies, which would also allow the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct its identification process.

Emano ordered the construction of a two-level chamber with compartments at the city cemetery in Bolonsiri, Barangay Camaman-An where the unidentified cadavers were buried and gave assurance that the recovery effort would not stop until the last body is recovered, identified and buried.

“Rebuilding what the disaster destroyed will be a long process. We will rebuild homes and infrastructure and implement measures to ensure the safety of city residents, taking into account disaster prevention and climate change mitigation,” he said.

Cagayan de Oro was one of the most affected by the floods triggered by the huge amount of rain brought by Sendong. About 6,737 families or a total of 38,767 people from the city’s 29 barangays were taken to 19 evacuation centers after losing their homes.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), in the meantime, assured thousands of survivors that they will be having new homes in the 26-hectare lot donated by the city-based National Steel Corp. (NSC).

A joint disaster rehabilitation meeting was held between top NDRRMC, Iligan City local officials and private executives to finalize the relocation plan of the displaced families to the NSC donated lot.

NDRRMC chief Benito Ramos said that while the exact figure of the total number of the displaced families and individuals in Iligan is not in his hand at the moment, he gave assurance the lot could accommodate most of them.

Ramos said there are also survivors coming from faraway villages now staying in evacuation centers in Iligan.

He said that aside from the city government and the NDRRMC, concerned government agencies like the National Housing Authority (NHA) are now actively involved in the government’s pre-rehabilitation operations.

In Cagayan de Oro, soldiers and other non-government groups are now busy building shelters for the thousands of survivors who are staying at city schools, at the back of a major shopping mall near the city’s Lumbia airport.

Ramos said that they are hoping these shelters would be ready for occupancy by Jan. 3, in time for the resumption of classes after the Christmas and New Year’s school break.

Blame it on the politicians

Environmental group Kalipunan ng mga Mamamayan para sa Kalikasan (KALIKASAN) is blaming local officials for allowing illegal settlers to occupy the riverbanks in the two provinces, including Butuan, Surigao, Bayugan, Cabadbaran and Tandag cities in Caraga region.

KALIKASAN, which made a study on settlers along riverbanks, warned that what had happened in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan could also happen in the cities of Butuan, Cabadbaran, Tandag, Surigao and Bayugan and other places if local officials would not relocate riverbanks settlers.

KALIKASAN director for advocacy and campaign Dr. Herminigildo Pelandres said elected officials are more concerned with losing votes in the next elections than protecting the environment.

He also hit law enforcers and corrupt Department of Environment Natural Resources (DENR) officials who are in cahoots with illegal loggers.

UNICEF calls for more donations

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called yesterday on the public to help them raise $4.8 million for the children-victims of Sendong.

To be able to respond to the effects of Sendong, UNICEF is calling for $ 5.8 million out of the $28.6 million requested by the United Nations.

“However, only $1 million of the funding needed to carry out these programs has been raised. A further $4.8 million is needed,” the agency said in a statement.

For donations to UNICEF Philippines, visit www.unicef.ph or call 758-1000.

“UNICEF workers have been on the ground since immediately after the disaster, working with our partners to deliver essential supplies and provide services to children who are most in need. But there’s still a lot of work to be done, and UNICEF is committed to ensuring that the work is done,” Trevor Clark, UNICEF chief of Mindanao office said.

UNICEF national ambassador Gary Valenciano visited yesterday the children affected by the storm and delivered his message of hope and healing through a special concert.

“We are calling on all our UNICEF supporters not to forget the children affected by Sendong. Any amount you give will go a long way to ensure that these children get back on their feet. Please go to www.unicef.ph to learn how you can help,” Valenciano said.

Mine safety group steps up relief drive

The Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA), under its Pusong Minero program, has intensified its relief operations to aid the victims of typhoon Sendong with the help of its member companies and other partners, according to PMSEA president Louie Sarmiento.

“As we continue to mourn for the victims of the flashflood and mudflow caused by storm Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, we are overwhelmed at the assistance and support that continue to flood our Pusong Minero program to aid our fellow Filipinos. The acts of generosity which continue to flow from the hearts of PMSEA member companies and other partners genuinely depict a Pusong Minero – a heart to serve, a heart to save lives,” Sarmiento said.

The Pusong Minero team handed over needed goods including sleeping mats and special cadaver bags to the Cagayan de Oro city government.

At present, PMSEA’s Pusong Minero relief operations are ongoing in coordination with the NDRRMC

OIC vows assistance

The 56-member Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has vowed to provide assistance to the people of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan regardless of religious affiliations, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Bai Omera Dianalan-Lucman said yesterday.

Lucman said the OIC has already sent a humanitarian mission team to Mindanao to assess the situation of the communities ravaged by the typhoon. The team is considering short and long-term assistance for the victims.

“The OIC is determined to assist Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City to rise from the ashes and start anew, especially knowing that most of those affected by Sendong belong to the impoverished sector,” Lucman said.

Lucman, together with Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis and other local leaders welcomed the OIC officials in Cagayan de Oro City on Dec. 26.

The team returned to Saudi Arabia on Friday to report on the result of their assessment.

The OIC humanitarian mission team is composed of Ibrahim Abdullah Al-Khuzayem, executive director of the Islamic Solidarity Fund; Taher Ahmed Saif, director of the Muslim Minorities Department; Abdoulaye Kebe, professional officer of the Humanitarian Affairs Department; and Ambassador Bakary Drame, special counselor to the Secretary-General. Rommel Romato, vice-consul of the Department of Foreign Affairs assisted the team in its Mindanao mission.

Earlier, the NCMF conducted relief missions in various affected Muslim communities in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan. – Helen Flores, Ben Serrano, Jaime Laude