Look for a more permanent relocation site

These are days when we sound like we are back in the 1970s with the killing of nine sugar farmers in Sagay, Negros Oriental. The problem we face is almost what happened in that era when these sugar farmers were probably recruited at gunpoint by the New People’s Army and since the farmers don’t want to fight against the government anymore, a decision was made to kill them and blame their deaths on the police.

As if on cue, militant students controlled by the National Democratic Front are demanding a full investigation. In truth, those farmers were merely working on the sugarcane fields in peace until the NPAs came. What the CPP/NPA/NDF failed to take into account is that we have a president with a very high popularity rating. Hence recruiting militants to fight this government is more difficult than it was during the ‘70s against the Marcos dictatorship. Sure, let’s conduct a full-blown investigation and what happens if we discover that this was the handiwork of the NPA? Will Jose Maria “Joma” Sison surrender? I doubt it! He’ll just go on more propaganda campaigns like in the past!

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I learned in the news that Philippine National Police chief Director General Oscar Albayalde is in favor of extending martial law in Mindanao until next year to secure the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law. This is true. I have talked with people who come from Mindanao and many of them are happy that martial law is in place there because crime has gone down.

In May 2017 President Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte declared martial law in the entire Mindanao in response to clashes between state security forces and the Maute group, an Islamic State-inspired armed group, in Marawi City.

Martial law in Mindanao is set to expire on December 31, 2018. So it is a very important decision to make whether or not martial law should be extended in Mindanao. But if you ask the people living there, extending martial law would mean the extension of peace in that troubled island.

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Yesterday we wrote that the residents of Sitio Sandayong in Barangay Buhisan should be moved whether they like it or not! Well, at least we gathered that the Cebu City Council’s committee on disaster risk reduction management and climate change adaptation is recommending that the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) look for a relocation site for the over 300 individuals in Sitio Sandayong as preemptive evacuation due to the tension cracks found in the area.

Truth to tell, if the CCDRRMO will still have to search for a relocation site, then that move might be too late. They should always have a list of relocation sites ready for any natural disaster that they might encounter. At this point, Buhisan Barangay Captain Gremar Barete received reports from his constituents that cracks caused by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake in 2013 are already evident. So what are you waiting for? Get those trucks and start moving people away from potential danger.

The recent landslide incident in the City of Naga should be our eye-opener and all the concerned offices should be prepared for any disaster. David Tumulak said that CCDRRMO head Nagiel Bañacia has already been informed on the matter. I have full confidence in the capability of Bañacia, especially his recent work helping out in the Naga disaster.

We know for a fact that Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 provides that the city government is allowed to utilize its disaster funds for the relocation site of affected individuals. Cebu City no doubt has the funds for this eventuality so let’s not waste time. Barete said the residents were reportedly uncooperative; this is why he asked the intervention of other offices such as Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office, CCDRRMO, and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7.

At this point not only should the residents of Sitio Sandayong be forced to evacuate, this sitio should become a “no-build zone” so that people should no longer be allowed to build homes in that sitio and the relocation site for these residents should be a permanent move for those people.

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