BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Government will relocate families living beneath Lupit Bridge in Barangay 39 after heavy rains and rising river waters damaged makeshift homes and highlighted the dangers of staying in the flood-prone area.
Mayor Greg Gasataya ordered the immediate deployment of a multi-agency task force following the heavy downpour on the night of July 30 that caused the Lupit River to swell and sweep away one unoccupied makeshift house beneath the bridge.
No injuries or fatalities were reported.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) immediately evacuated families living along the riverbanks as a precaution against further flooding.
City records showed that eight families, comprising more than 20 individuals, including nine children aged four to 14, are currently living beneath Lupit Bridge, an area identified as highly vulnerable to flooding during heavy rains.
A joint team from the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD), Bacolod Housing Authority (BHA), CDRRMO, City Health Office (CHO), City Legal Office, barangay officials, and rescue volunteers conducted an onsite assessment to determine the families’ immediate needs and facilitate their relocation.
“Definitely, these families need to be transferred to a safer place. The CHO will assess their health conditions, especially the children living in the area, while the BHA will process the necessary requirements to help provide them with a safe place to live,” said Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Jose Marty Go.
Among those assisted was 60-year-old stroke patient Rolli Gonzaga, whose makeshift home was partially damaged by floodwaters. He was brought to a medical facility for evaluation as part of the city’s emergency response.
Despite his condition, Gonzaga expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the city government.
His wife, Herminia, said the family has continued living beneath the bridge because they have nowhere else to go and the location is close to their source of livelihood and their grandchildren’s school.
Another resident, Ronaldo Robles, said he and his wife have lived beneath the bridge with their three children for about five years after their previous home was washed away during a storm.
Their makeshift shelter, measuring about three by five feet, is built from tarpaulins, plywood, bamboo, and old bedsheets.
Robles earns around P150 a day driving a rented e-bike and supplements the family’s income by collecting sandbags along the river.
“I just want my children to finish their education so they can have a better future and find a way out of this situation,” Robles said.
The BHA has started processing the requirements for the families’ transfer to the city’s relocation site in Barangay Vista Alegre.
While relocation may take time, Gasataya said families living in high-risk areas will be prioritized for rescue, assistance, and permanent resettlement as part of the city’s disaster risk reduction efforts.
The city government said it will continue coordinating with concerned agencies to provide immediate assistance while pursuing long-term housing solutions for families living in danger zones./PN
