Even after Sendong, CDO residents keen to return to riverside homes

 

City Mayor Vicente Emano said Tuesday that despite suggestions to relocate, the residents were willing to take the risk and return to their old homes.

 

"Ang iba na nakausap ko [sabi] babalik talaga sila. Kapit nga, sinabi ko, kapit sa patalim talaga (Some of the residents I talked to said they will return to their old homes. They are determined to hold on)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

According to Emano, there were about 400 houses along the river. These were part of a city housing project.

 

After “Sendong” devastated the city, only one of the houses was left standing, Emano said.

 

"Pero kahit na nga ganyan, kung kausapin niyo, ayaw nila. Babalik daw sila (But despite what happened, if you talk to the residents, they'll say they don’t want to leave. Many of them are determined to return)," he said.

 

Cagayan de Oro City was among the areas hit hardest by "Sendong," which lashed Mindanao and Visayas last weekend.

Emano said the residents who had been staying near the river had "begged" him before to buy the land on which their houses stood for his housing project.

 

"Nakiusap sila bilhin ko. Kung ‘di ako nagkamali, ang tinayuan nila ng bahay binili ko [ng] P5-6 million tapos binigay ko sa kanila... Malaki ito, more than five hectares (They practically begged me to buy the land for the housing project. If I remember right, we bought the land for P5 to 6 million, then gave it to them. This is a big lot, about five hectares)," he said.

 

"Nakiusap sila, umiiyak na bilhin (Some of them wept and implored us to buy the lot)," he said.

 

"Sinabihan ko sila huwag na tayong bumalik. Ang iba babalik. Kapit sa patalim, babalik sila (When I asked them not to return, they insisted they would)," he added.

 

579 dead, 482 still missing

 

As of Monday night, Emano said they had recorded at least 579 deaths, with 482 still missing. Cagayan de Oro recorded the highest number of casualties of all the areas pummeled by Sendong. 

 

"Ang missing persons hanggang kagabi 482 pa. Kung ma-recover lahat, aabot siguro tayo between 900 to 1,000 bodies. Baka sumobra pa. ‘Yan ang masamang pangyayari (As of Monday night, the number of missing persons stood at 482. If we combine this with the 579 who were confirmed dead, we would have 900 to 1,000 dead. That is the bad news)," he said. –KG/HS, GMA News