300+ families from 5 islets

Only 3 Batasan Island families

Among 80 for initial relocation

BATASAN ISLAND, Tubigon, Bohol (PIA)—Only three families from this island gets to be relocated to the first 80 row houses which the National Housing Authority (NHA) is building as resettlement for over 300 resident families affected by the rising sea waters in the islands of Tubigon, Bohol.

This information came out form no less than Batasan Island Barangay Chairman Annabelle Canete, who echoed the concern which her residents aired during the recent Barangayan sa Bagong Pilipinas: town hall meeting with the government and residents of Batasan, August 27.

It may be recalled that a team from the government, composed of 15 government agencies joined the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to conduct the dialog with residents of the 278 households affected by rising sea water now intruding into the houses.

According to the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake in 2013 uplifted areas in Maribojoc and Loon in northern Bohol, but in contrast, it also sunk a few inches islands off Calape and Tubigon towns.

The islands of Mantatao in Calape, Inanuran islet in Matabao, Panggapasan, Bilangbilangan, Bagongbanua, Batasan and Ubay were later referred to as sinking islands.

In October 2023 site visit to Batasan, DENR personnel and LGU officials learned there were 223 households affected by the flooding tides in Batasan Island.

The team advised pre-emptive evacuation of the islands to safe and stable grounds in the mainland is necessary during extreme weather; further build-up and community growth in the islands that relocation appears as the only viable long-term and sustainable solution for disaster risk reduction in the islands.

The 223, is part of the 300 plus households initially identified for immediate relocation as the NHA partnered with the local government of Tubigon to build a resettlement with an initial 80 row houses, in a municipal lot in Purok 1, Pulang Araw, Genonocan, in mainland Tubigon.

NHA Bohol officer in charge Genesis Caesar Manalili said they were able to source out the funds for the first tranche of 80 row houses to start building this year, and another 75 row houses for its next tranche.

The NHA good news also triggered the formation of the Local Housing Board, who would be managing the implementation of the relocation and the resettlement.

Chaired by the mayor and co chaired by the SB Committee on Housing and Urban development chair, the Board also includes the municipal planning, municipal engineer, representatives of the people’s organization, like the homeowners’ association and an accredited non-government organization.

According to chairman Canete, the local housing board then decided who would be included in the first 80 occupants of the soon to be built row-houses, and she could not answer why only three of the Batasan households were in the priority.

That also means Panggapasan, Ubay, Bagongbanua, Inanuran would each have nearly 20 residents in the priority list, while Batasan island also is facing the same risk as these islands.

To this, Manalili said while it is the local housing Board’s decision who to prioritize, he promised to bring the issue back to the board when this reconvenes anytime.

As Tubigon Mayor Marlon Amila now sits as chair of the Board, Batasan residents hope that they could be given equal opportunities like those from other islands, to be in the fist resettlers, considering that there are kids that could he brought to safer learning environment in the mainland.

Here in Batasan Island, kindergarten classes would be suspended when the tides are high. (RACH/PIA_7/Bohol)

LOBBY FOR MORE. NHA Bohol officer in charge Genesis Caesar Manalili said the office has only 155 row houses where over 300 island residents affected by the tide n benefit. The selection process however is now questioned (PIABohol)