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Friday, February 24, 2006
Exec to assess Carmen, other slide-prone areas
DAVAO City Councilor Arnulfo Cabling, being aware of the danger that stalks residents of Barangay Carmen in Baguio District, is pushing a thorough assessment of the area to avoid a possible disaster.
Cabling said he would personally work on the assessment of Carmen and other areas of Davao City that are considered landslide prone.
"We will look into it and if we will know that indeed the area is landslide prone we need to immediately do something appropriate to avoid a bigger incident," said Cabling.
He added that the city officials dread the grim possibility of a landslide to happen in the city similar to that in Southern Leyte.
Last week, residents of Purok 7, Carmen were shocked by a strange sound that came from the hilly part of the village.
It turned out the sound was that of gushing water, which carried boulders, something that could have been destructive and deadly had it occurred in a much-populated area.
Fortunately, not too many houses are erected near the landslide site.
Residents of the village could only blame the transformation of what used to be a lush hill into a farm area on some of the residents.
The incident was the fourth since 2000.
A resident named Primitivo Pully said the area became a logging site years back and the absence of trees to hold the soil and rocks caused the landslide.
Cabling said there is a need to immediately plant trees in the area "because there is no best remedy than the natural remedy."
The cascading rocks and water destroyed the water pipes that supply water to the low-lying villages of Tawan-Tawan, Baguio, Cadalian, all in the same district.
For two days, the residents of the villages endured the absence of water from Carmen.
For the environmental group Interface Development Interventions Inc. (Idis), the Carmen incident should be an eye opener for the public to realize the importance of the environment.
Lia Jasmin Esquillo, Idis executive director, said it is high time for concerned groups and individuals to put their acts together and protect the village and the other villages of Baguio District considering its ecological significance.
Carmen, for one, is the source of water of the other Baguio District villages.
The Panigan-Tamugan Rivers, which are located in the same district, was identified by the Davao City Water District as the future sources of the water for Davao.
"These are reasons enough for the government and other concerned organizations to join together in protecting these areas," Esquillo said.
Carmen's Mt. Gaway, for instance, has been subjected to clearing operations by some local officials of the villages. The hill is where the abundant water spring is located.
Idis is urging concerned agencies to conduct a thorough assessment of the area and to put in place a comprehensive management plan, including mitigating measures to avoid such incidents from happening again. (PR/Idis)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 24, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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