BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental and the local government unit (LGU) of Himamaylan City are formulating a recovery plan for residents affected by the clashes between government forces and the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterland village of Carabalan.
Mayor Raymund Tongson said they need the support of both the provincial government and national agencies.
The Himamaylan City government briefed the officials on the situation after consecutive clashes displaced local residents.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, on the other hand, said the evacuees he talked to said all they wanted was to go home.
Tongson, for his part, said people in the mountain areas do not trust the government anymore.
“We have neutralized many areas previously tagged as ‘red areas’”, the mayor said.
He added that they can only shift the lives of the people if they maximize the use of government resources.
“Road networks, water and livelihood projects are being poured into the area by both the city and provincial governments. We pray that we can slowly implement these programs in the next few years so we can achieve peace and order in our mountain areas,” he pointed out.
“Himamaylan City is generally peaceful,” the mayor added.
Lacson and Tongson, meanwhile, denied that a “news blackout” was imposed at the Don Agustin Gatuslao Memorial Center after local media were barred from entering, taking pictures and interviewing evacuees.
“The military are just observing protocols because of the ongoing military operations against the rebels. The military are just being careful about the situation,” Tongson clarified.
He said even the local government of Himamaylan is coordinating with the military pertaining to the evacuees./PN
