Approximately 257 families in Antique will be relocated in April to make way for the completion of the Malandog River Rehabilitation and Development Project (MRRDP).
A five-hectare relocation site in Barangay Mapatag will be assigned for the informal settlers to live along the Malandog River and its adjacent Barangay Maybato Sur of this capital town also, says Secretary of the Antique Provincial Government Housing Board Eby Butiong.
“The Malandog River Rehabilitation and Development Project was supposed to be completed already in 2019, but because of the difficulty of looking for a relocation site, the informal settlers could not be moved out,” Butiong was quoted as saying in a report.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) have already approved the relocation site in April 2019 after inspecting its safety.
A supplemental budget of P6 million was passed by the Antique provincial government to buy the area, following MGB’s approval.
“The relocation site in the amount of P6 million is the counterpart of the provincial government to the project,” Butiong said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources allocated P45 million for the MRRDP.
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu earlier said that the river needs to be rehabilitated due to high coliform count.
“Aside that the project is intended to address the biodiversity problem in the area, it is also aimed to make Malandog into an eco-tourism destination in Antique,” Butiong said.
