Iloilo province opens first Purok Resilience Village in Batad
By Mary Joy Cavañas
The Iloilo Provincial Government finally opened its Purok Resilience Village at Brgy. Nangka, Batad on March 19, 2026.
The event was graced by Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., Batad Municipal Mayor Elvira Alarcon, Vice Governor Nathalie Ann Debuque, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Iloilo Head Retired Col. Cornelio Salinas, and Provincial Administrator Raul Banias. It was also attended by capitol department heads and personnel, partner agencies, municipal mayors, among others.
With a fund of over Php30 million, the province identified 30 family beneficiaries who were living in hazard zones across the barangay. Each beneficiary received a Certificate of Entitlement to House and Lot Allocation which proves that they are eligible to occupy their respective housing units.
The houses in the village featured living spaces, including bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen area. Beneficiaries can also be able to develop their livelihood within the area through vegetable seeds that were distributed for their MoRProGRes Garden.
“As we have the turnover of Purok Resilience Village, we express our heartfelt thanks to Governor Arthur Defensor Jr., for giving us the privilege in keeping us away from hazard areas for our safety and welfare,” said Homeowners Association President Ameriza Sunga.
One of the beneficiaries, Nanay Josefina Brillantes, 84, and a native of Brgy. Nangka, also expressed her gratitude to the provincial government for providing their family with a free home that is away from danger, along with trainings and livelihood to sustain their everyday life.
Partner agencies including Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and Department of Agriculture (DA) also delivered their messages of support and commitment to the provincial government’s initiative and for the welfare of its program beneficiaries.
Purok Resilience Program is mandated by the provincial government under the Executive Order No. 333, series of 2022, creating socialized and localized housing program for residents living in disaster or hazard prone areas. This initiative is also one of the province’s measures to encounter and mitigate the effects of climate change.
