The Office of the President has allotted PHP10 million for the acquisition of relocation sites for families severely affected by the series of earthquakes here last year.

The assistance was intended for families displaced by the strong tremors that struck the province in October 2019, said Governor Nancy Catamco during a meeting at the provincial capitol Tuesday morning.

During the meeting, Catamco presented the initiative before the members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division, the National Housing Authority (NHA), the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the local government unit (LGU) of Makilala.

“As leaders, we have that primary responsibility of taking care of our constituents”, Catamco said.

The provincial government has identified the two parcels of land to be procured, particularly the 3.6 hectares of land in Barangay Malabuan and another 4.6 hectares in Old Bulatukan, both in this municipality.

The project is in partnership with the NHA, which plans to build low-cost housing units for the quake victims.

Also, the Department of Public Works and Highways has committed to assist in the land development of the relocation sites.

“The areas must also be ready with essential utilities such as water lines and electricity supply to guarantee the comfort of the residents,” Catamco said.

She said that the provincial government is also currently coordinating with other national line agencies for interventions that could support the efforts of rebuilding the lives of the affected families through infrastructure and livelihood initiatives.

The Makilala LGU, meanwhile, said that it is also in the process of procuring relocation sites for other affected areas such as the villages of Malasila, Buena Vida, Cabilao, Sto. Niño, Indangan, Bato, and Garsika. (PNA)