Friday, October 17, 2008 Real estate project not sole cause of flooding, CH team reports
LANDCO Pacific Corp.’s project in the hills of Barangay Guadalupe contributed to the landslide last Tuesday but it was not the only cause of the mudslide and flooding.
The real estate firm’s water retention ponds around their property also helped control the flow of floodwater, but some revisions on the design are needed.
That was what Cebu City Hall’s fact-finding team found out after several visits to the landslide area since the incident.
While he is confident of the accuracy of the team’s report, City Planning and Development Coordinator Nigel Paul Villarete said a more detailed study should be done.
Expert
That is why Acting Mayor Michael Rama approved the recommendation to tap a geological expert from the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. (ACMDC) to study the cause of the landslide in Sitio Dakit in Guadalupe and the damage it has caused.
City Councilor Gerardo Carillo said that Mayor-on-leave Tomas Osmeña recommended Jose Carlo Cebrian, a geological consultant of ACMDC, who was also consulted by the City when a landslide occurred in Barangay Sinsin last May.
“Mayor Tom has directed me to ask the Atlas consultant to conduct a study on the damage of the landslide and what caused it, so he can make recommendations on what should be done,” Carillo told Sun.Star Cebu.
“All the expenses for the studies will be charged to Landco,” he continued.
Landco Development Corp.’s residential development project, the upscale Monterrazas de Cebu, was blamed for the landslide that covered 12 houses in Sitio Dakit in thick mud last April 14 and last Tuesday.
But according to the initial report of the fact-finding team composed of engineers from the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), not all the blame should be on Landco.
“The finding is that the water came from upstream, from the development of Landco. But to a certain extent, some of the water also came from other upland areas.
Landco has contributed to the problem, but it’s not the sole cause as far as water is concerned,” Villarete said.
The team also reported that the volume of silt carried by the floodwater last Tuesday is less compared to what they saw after the incident last April.
“This means that to a certain extent, the water retention facilities have served its purpose. But whether it has fully worked, that’s another story. Although there has to be some rectifications because there are issues that are beyond the developer’s control, such as the direction where the water flows,” Villarete added.
He also said there should be further investigation on the situation in the low-lying areas surrounding Dakit, where developments have constricted the flow of water.
Garbage
Garbage also blocked the waterway, which contributed to the rise in the level of water in the area.
The City Council has already invited Villarete, Landco officials and other officials from CPDO and DEPW to brief the council on the incident.
Aside from the Landco project, Carillo said they are also monitoring two development projects in Barangays Mabini and Binaliw, which have also caused landslides in the past.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7, meanwhile, expressed alarm over the landslide and said they are now looking into its cause.
“We want to know what has happened. This is the second time for a landslide to happen. We want to know the reasons behind the landslide, if the project proponent complied or not with all precautionary measures...if they complied with all the measures for the safety of the project,” said Lawyer Fernando Alberca, DENR 7 legal division chief.
Not enough
“We have investigated the area, talked to residents and gathered substantial information on the incident,” said Alberca, who declined to disclose their findings.
He said they need to submit their report first to executive director Leonardo Sibbaluca.
But Alberca did admit that the company’s mitigation measures were “not sufficient.”
“This is a big project, which requires a lot of mitigation and safety measures. But right now it has become more of a hazard,” Alberca said. (LCR/With EPB)
