DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/01 July) – Informal settlers of the barangays affected by the recent flood will be placed at the Los Amigos and Lasang relocation areas, city officials announced during the I-Speak forum held at the city mayor’s conference room on Thursday.
This is among the local government’s long-term recovery plans for Barangays 74-A, Talomo, Ma-a, Matina Pangi and Matina Aplaya which were hit by a flood Tuesday evening. The five barangays had been placed under a state of calamity.
As of 1:00 p.m. Thursday, the City Social Services and Development Office had tallied 30 deaths and 4 missing.
According to City Engineer Jose Gestuveo Jr., damage to infrastructure and properties had reached about P20 million as of Wednesday.
He said that the affected areas are situated near the Matina Pangi River.
Officials said the city government will first inform the barangays of the relocation plan and at the same time warn them against settling in the flood prone areas. Gestuveo called on the barangays to be proactive in informing the people.
Roberto Alabado, acting City Planning and Development Coordinator stressed that building additional infrastructure should be discouraged in flood-prone areas.
He said that while adding infrastructure may mitigate disaster, the focus should be on trying to prevent people from living in high risk areas.
He said the Los Amigos site would be fully occupied this year with the planned transfer of 700 yet to be identified families with funds coming from the local government, Gawad Kalinga and the private sector.
Alabado added there are no definite plans yet for the Lasang relocation area.
He also announced that the city will update its comprehensive land use plan, and the first draft will be submitted to the mayor’s office by October.
Alabado said the plan will consider the latest geohazard mapping and the analysis integrated in the zoning ordinance which will undergo revision. (JB Tingzon/MindaNews)
