Aurora lawmaker slams new MGB report

DINGALAN, Aurora — House Deputy Minority Leader Juan Edgardo Angara has slammed the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for its latest report identifying new "high-risk" areas in this town, which he said has jeopardized the housing project local officials are trying to put up here.

Angara took the MGB-Central Luzon office to task for tagging Caragsacan as one of the four barangays here that are "high risk" to landslides.

Angara, son of Sen. Edgardo Angara, recalled that last year, local officials, led by his aunt, Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, asked the MGB to first check the suitability of the land in Caragsacan for a housing project.

The MGB subsequently approved Caragsacan as a relocation site, he said.

"We had it (Caragsacan) checked by them. They said it was okay, thus we started building the houses there. Now they are saying it is not okay," he said.

Angara reacted to the announcement of Orlando Pineda, chief MGB geologist, identifying 15 "high-risk" barangays in Central Luzon.

Among the 15 barangays are Caragsacan, Paltic, Tanawan and Davil-davilan in this town; Dimanayat and Diteki in San Luis town; Villa Maria in Ma. Aurora town; and Amper and Dinadiawan in Dipaculao town, all in Aurora.

Also in the list are Barangays Labi in Bongabon town, Sawmill, South Poblacion, Malinao and Pantoc in Gabaldon town, all in Nueva Ecija; and Maamot, Sula and Lubigan in San Jose, Tarlac.

The young Angara said he has set aside P5 million from his congressional fund, while his father released an additional P4 million for the housing project in Caragsacan.

With the MGB’s new findings, Angara, who represents the lone congressional district of Aurora, said they may have to scout for other areas suitable for resettlement.

So far, at least 100 houses have been built in Caragsacan for the families displaced by the killer flash floods and landslides that struck the province in December 2004.

Among the donor agencies and institutions which donated housing units were ABS-CBN and Gawad Kalinga. GMA-7 also donated classrooms in Villa Aurora through its Kapuso Foundation.

The housing project targets 1,008 units.

Angara said money is available for the housing units but the problem is the lack of land donors.

He said a land donor in Barangay Umiray donated a sizeable portion of his estate but the beneficiaries rejected it because it was too remote.

He called on landowners in Dingalan to donate land for relocation sites, saying he is willing to release additional money from his congressional fund to build more houses.

"They have the option to donate or sell land at reasonable prices because local officials are having a hard time finding a site for relocation," he said.

"If strangers are willing to help, why cannot the landowners who are from here?" he added.