MALILIPOT, Albay – At least 65 families here, or 261 individuals, are set to be relocated after a huge twin soil erosion was noticed to have materialized in the aftermath of typhoon Ulysses.
Barangay San Roque Chairperson Josefina Binas told The Manila Bulletin that two areas in her village were now restricted to residents after an erosion happened in Purok 1 and Purok 5.
The erosion in Purok 1 created a chasm more than 100-feet deep overlooking the Bulawan river that damaged the main road of the village that connects to Barangay Calbayog.
In Purok 5, a fissure also developed.
"Dati po, pantay lang yan dyan sa ilog. Pag may dumadaan na bagyo, nagkakaroon po ng erosion. Ngayon nagbagyong Rolly, mas lumaki pa po siya. Natatakot po talaga kami," Joselyn Binas, a resident in Purok 5, narrated.
The wall of the cliff is composed of mixture of sand and soil that could easily collapse when another flooding happens.
The barangay official said the she has already donated 2,000 square meters from her family to accommodate affected residents.
"May lupa na kami kaso wala pang mga bahay. Nag-donate na po ako ng lupa noong 2018 pa pero ayaw yata nila lumipat kasi wala pang bahay," she said.
Binas appealed to the National Housing Authority (NHA) to provide houses for her affected constituents.
"Pansamantala ay nasa evacuation center sila ngayon sa San Roque Elementary School habang wala pang matitirahan," she added.
She also appealed for food and hygiene kits for her constituents as their major livelihood was affected by typhoons that hit the province.
"Sa abaca lang po kasi nabubuhay yung mga kababayan ko dito. Nasira po yun ng bagyo kaya wala silang hanapbuhay. Nananawagan po ako sa may mga mabuting kalooban na tulungan nyo naman po ang aking mga kababayan," she said.