Relocation of Marikina residents to Bulacan rejected

MALOLOS CITY , Philippines  – Bulakenyos are up in arms against the proposal of Vice President Noli de Castro to relocate residents of Marikina City who were affected by heavy flooding spawned by tropical   storm “Ondoy” to San Miguel town.

Former Bulacan governor Roberto Pagdanganan said displaced Bulacan folk living along riverbanks are the ones who should be relocated, as they face perennial risks during the typhoon season.

Pagdanganan noted though that some local government units in Bulacan had started relocating riverside residents long before the onslaught of Ondoy.

He said Mayor Bartolome Ramos of Sta. Maria town saved hundreds of lives when he relocated families living under the Paso Bridge, something that other local executives should emulate.

For his part, Vice Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said relocating Marikina residents to San Miguel would further contribute to the deforestation of forestland in the town.

He said De Castro should re-think his proposal, explaining that older government relocation sites in Norzagaray town and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan have contributed to flash floods that swept through the towns of Sta. Maria, Bocaue, and Marilao and Meycauayan City last Sept. 26.

Alvarado said hilly areas in the relocation sites had been cleared of vegetation to give way to the housing projects.

Records showed that Sapang Palay in San Jose del Monte City has been the destination of relocated informal settlers from Manila since the 1960s, while Norzaragay town became home to the FVR Village put up in the mid-90s.

However, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro who chairs the National Disaster Coordinating Council, said Bulacan is only one of the provinces being considered by the national government as potential relocation sites.

During his recent visit to Marilao town, Teodoro said the government is also considering the provinces of Rizal and Laguna as relocation sites.

Earlier, the provincial government said it was studying the possibility of relocating residents living along riverbanks, but added that the local government units must take the initiative.