Resistance vs relocation raises flood risk for Iligan folk
(Last of three parts)
ILIGAN CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) had long warned that regardless of how many flood control structures are constructed, as long as those living along riverbanks are not properly resettled, risks to lives and property remain whenever flooding occurs.
Safe housing is paramount, said Abel Moya, director of nongovernment group Pakigdait and chair of the Iligan City People’s Council. He said DPWH projects should not treat displacement as an afterthought and the cost of human security must be built into the project design from day one.
“The government must fulfill its duty to provide safe housing, but it must also see these families as stakeholders, not obstacles,” he said.
“Disaster mitigation is not just about building dikes—it is about ensuring the safety and dignity of every family by providing secure housing before the next disaster strikes because disaster is a human dignity issue,” Moya added.
But Aly Khan Ali, district engineer of Lanao del Norte’s First District Engineering Office, said resettlement is the local government’s responsibility.
According to Elsa Maquiling, the city planning and development coordinator, the local government now intends to move settlers living along riverbanks, identified danger zones and water easements as part of its flood mitigation and disaster risk reduction efforts.
‘Danger zones’
After Typhoon “Sendong” (international name: Washi) in 2011, the city council passed City Ordinance No. 12-58153 declaring certain areas in Iligan as “danger zones” based on a study by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB). These include the entire Bayug Island in Barangay Hinaplanon.
Barangays Tubod and Mahayahay, which were ravaged by Tropical Storm “Basyang” (Penha) last February were not included in the ordinance.
Melvin Anggot, former city information officer, recalled that for two years after Sendong, there was strict implementation of the ordinance with the local government not issuing building permits and the local power distribution company rejecting applications for electricity connection.
These prevented families from rebuilding in “no-build” zones. “Affected lot owners opposed and lobbied for the lifting (of the ordinance) several times but it was denied,” Anggot said.
Implementation slowed down. Hence, while relocation sites were available for Sendong survivors, many chose to stealthily rebuild in their old communities.
Moving residents from danger zones will prove to be more difficult especially if these covered titled private properties.
Architect Gil Balondo, former city planning and development coordinator, said among the reasons that property owners cited for their refusal to leave was that they did not want to move far from their sources of livelihood.
‘Immense work’
“Another major challenge is finding a relocation site that these landowners will find acceptable while ensuring they receive fair compensation for the titled land they are giving up,” Balondo added.
The work ahead is immense. According to Maquiling, the local government must profile the settlers in the identified danger zones, in water easement and in areas where the river is constricted to implement the resettlement program.
“The local government must have social preparation activities,” she said.
The local government, as part of its preparations to relocate settlers, started construction of resettlement houses in lands it owned and were cleared as safe for housing. These are in the villages of Mandulog, Dalipuga, Upper Hinaplanon and Saray with funding allocated as a precondition.
Maquiling said that with more families subjected to relocation, the local government must think ahead and undertake land banking for housing and resettlement and must “consider livelihood development for families to be relocated.”
As the city government grapples with these issues, Irenea Lambino, 57, who survived the wrath of both Sendong and Basyang, continues to pray for her family’s safety during heavy rains while holding onto hope for an opportunity to be relocated to a piece of land that they can eventually call their own.
“If there is a relocation program, I would gladly relocate my family. I’m exhausted from dealing with the floods. You can only imagine what we went through. We almost drowned,” she said.
(This story was produced with support from the Earth Journalism Network.)
