Even after a thousand deaths, from flash flood among these hundreds in his own city the Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City – in Northern Mindanao – wants residents to be allowed to return to an island and also river coastal areas already classified as danger zones by multiple Philippine and UN  environment and development agencies.

Most looking on this from outside would not understand his reasoning;  resettling them would mean violating his promise to prevent their relocation made in the last elections. However, the President was firm in his order and DENR and the government planning agency NEDA says the area can still be used for other purposes such as a public park and wildlife sanctuary. But, it should not be settled – due to high risk in times of flooding.

 Mayor Emano, talking to local media a day after, President Benigno Aquino III ordered for the permanent relocation of residents in that city who were affected by “Sendong”.

CDO MAYOR Emano, says he believes residents should be allowed to return to an island in middle of rivers and salvage zones along river banks of a major tributary along a river that has a history of suddenly overflowing it banks. albeit in the past eith fat less deadly results.

Aquino has ordered the Department of Interior and Local Government or DILG and the Philippine National Police or PNP to prevent residents from coming back to the danger
zones, like the small river sandbar called Isla de Oro and small villages along the banks of the river. Aquino has said that any return of reisdents to danger zones will not be permitted calling it suicidal and ordering police to arrest residents who try and rebuild homes. President Aquino declared the areas based on his environments department a geo-hazard map shows that Isla de Oro is a catch basin area.

He said other areas have also been identified where flash floods are expected to occur and Aquino citing vast open areas of land which can easily be aquired by government and used to resettle those affected residents.

Some middle ground solution is likely; those settlers to these areas feel government resettled them to the area in the first place. A large number of them are supporters of the current mayor. In the basic of basic lessons of Patronage political practises this problem not only exists for CDO but many communities along the Pasig and Marikina river systems in the capitol itself.

Local Officials in disaster stricken areas warned not to abuse calamity funds – PalaceMalacanang called on local government officials to ensure that the funds from foreign and Philippine institutions be used properly for the benefit of the people residing in Typhoon Sendong-stricken areas in Visayas and Mindanao, a Palace official said on Thursday. During the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda made the appeal following the announcement of President Benigno S. Aquino III that assistance from foreign countries are pouring in after the country was hit by devastating Typhoon Sendong.

The Chief Executive also announced that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB) have pledged to lend additional money for the Philippines. He also said that there are assistance being offered by the US, Japan, China, Russia, Spain and many other countries. “Makakaasa po tayo na hindi ito mapupunta sa bulsa ng officials ng national government. We are very hopeful that all the people concerned, local government officials, would make sure that the funds that they received, as well as the relief goods that they have obtained, will be used properly to benefit those who have been affected,” Lacierda said.

Aside from the financial assistance from foreign countries, the government is ready to release P1.17-billion for the victims of typhoon “Sendong” that battered Northern Mindanao and parts of the Visayas region last week. Lacierda said residents of Isla de Oro in Cagayan de Oro will be barred from returning to the place for their safety.

“They have known all along that it (Isla de Oro) has been sitting on a sandbar. The foundations of that Isla de Oro are not as stable as other places, so pag-aaralan din po kung bakit nagkaroon ng maraming residente doon at kung bakit pinayagan,” he said adding that the President categorically stated na wala nang babalik sa Isla de Oro,”