99 families demand damages from gov't, refuse to go back to 'river village'
Ninety-nine families in Cabatuan, Iloilo want the government to pay for the damages brought by Typhoon Frank to their community. Damage for the lots awarded to them, housing units built and every piece of furniture and household appliances bought by each family.
The reason? It was the government who chose the site and insisted occupancy despite objections of the beneficiary-families who fear the site being close to Tigum River.
And as feared and expected, Barangay Banguit relocation site was heavily flooded with the area seemingly becoming part of the river anew when Typhoon Frank hit Iloilo last week.
In a report, The News Today (TNT) confirmed four houses that were totally washed-out while all other houses sustained major damages with not a single thing salvaged by majority of the families.
Floodwaters took over two days to fully recede only to be replaced by mud as deep as four feet. What was then a basketball court turned into a mud court and the multi-purpose hall into a mud hall.
As such, all 99 families banding as New Iloilo Airport Ville Homeowners Association (NIAVHOA) were one in writing the project administrator, Cabatuan Mayor Ramon Yee, telling the mayor of the "ruthless nightmare" in the relocation site.
Involved national government agencies here were the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the National Housing Authority (NHA).
"The NIAVHAO comprising of 99 families – 54 from Sta. Barbara and 45 from Cabatuan would like to inform your Office that we intend not to return anymore to the Relocation Site. We plan to abandon the area because it is very hard for us to recover what have been lost and start anew," the letter began. "In exchange to this, we would like to express our demand for your good office as the Administrator of the Relocation Site to pay us equivalent to the cost of lot provided by the DOTC as well as the cost of the housing unit extended to us by the NHA. In addition we also demand that we will be paid of the damage on our household appliance, furniture and other."
The group went on to remind the mayor of the protests and objections to the site saying they resisted for one major reason – the Tigum River which they said posed a threat to them.
Typhoon Frank apparently proved them right.
"It is sad to note that we have given up our farmlands in favor of the airport project and with a promise of a job in the airport… Here we are now, trapped in the womb or tomb of a sinking ship because of a wrong decision. This is an inescapable fate that we, Relocatees have to face," the letter continued.
The group was represented by its president Josephine Choresca with copies of the letter furnished to Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and Sta. Barbara Mayor Isabelo Maquino among others.