• THERESA MAE DULMAN
A 60-year-old stroke patient and several residents living beneath Lupit Bridge in Bacolod City were evacuated Thursday night after heavy rains caused the water level to rise.
Mayor Greg Gasataya deployed a multi-agency task force from the Department of Social Services and Development, Bacolod Housing Authority, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Health Office, and City Legal Office, to assess the area, extend medical care, and assist the affected families.
“The end goal is, we need to clear the area and provide them with a safe home. The BHA will assess if they are qualified,” secretary to the mayor, Atty. Jose Marty Go, said.
The rescue operation targeted an informal settlement located in a designated danger zone near San Antonio Abad Parish Church, where families constructed eight makeshift structures from bamboo, tarpaulins, and plywood.
Among those assisted was Rolli Gonzaga, a stroke patient who experienced partial damage to his shelter due to the strong water runoff.
Gonzaga was evaluated for medical examination immediately following the evacuation, and was subsequently taken in by his sibling.
His wife, Herminia Gonzaga, said the family relocated under the bridge two years ago after being displaced from Barangay 39.
The household depends primarily on the income of their son, who drives a rented e-bike to support the family and his two children attending local schools.
DSSD records indicate that more than 20 individuals, including nine children aged four to 14, reside under the bridge.
While processing for long-term relocation to the city’s housing project in Barangay Vista Alegre remains ongoing, authorities said that families living in high-risk zones will receive priority for temporary aid and eventual permanent housing. | TMD
