Friday, October 10, 2008 MGB to local exces: Act vs landslides By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Southern Mindanao appealed to local government officials to immediately evacuate residents from areas susceptible to landslides.
It also asked the officials to implement other mitigating measures.
Diana Kristina Velasco, MGB Southern Mindanao Geoscience division chief, said they have identified 23 puroks and barangays that are considered as "extremely high" and "very high" when it comes to susceptibility to landslide.
At least 320 barangays in Davao Region have been identified as moderate, high, very high or extremely highly susceptible to landslides.
In the MGB's list, it showed that the 23 areas in the provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley are labeled as very high or extremely high.
Areas in Davao Oriental that are identified to be of great risk are Barangays San Pedro and Sobrecarey in Caraga; Tubaon in Tarragona; Mayo, Danao, Dawan, Mamali and Macambol in the City of Mati; Bitaugan in San Isidro; Calapagan in Lupon; and Punta Linao in Banaybanay.
In Compostela Valley, barangays in very high risk are Libaylibay, New Leyte, Panoraon, New Barili, Masara, Tagbaros, Elizalde, and Panangan in Maco town; Tuboran in Mawab; Mt. Diwata in Monkayo; Canidkid and New Cebulan in Montevista.
Of the 23 barangays, only one was identified to be "extremely high" in landslide susceptibility, the Barangay Mamali in the City of Mati.
Masara, site of a big landslide that killed 21 people more than a month ago, was only categorized as very high in the MGB list.
Velasco said their office was never remiss in reminding the community as well as the local government units of the impending danger in very highly risk areas.
She urged the LGUs to evacuate residents of the very high-risk areas now or implement mitigating measures before another Masara happens.
She revealed that as early as 2006 they have written letter to the local government of Maco and the barangays leaders of Masara of the danger of a landslide.
She said the LGU however failed to act immediately until the tragedy struck last September 6.
Velasco said the MGB only deals with the technical aspect of the situation that of identifying the risky areas.
She said the community, the LGU and other non-government organizations should implement mitigating measures or compel residents to vacate the risky areas.
Velasco said of all LGUs in the Davao Region, only one percent heeded their warning.
She said 99 percent failed to act immediately on. So far, only Davao City was able to integrate the geo-hazard assessment of MGB into their comprehensive land use program (CLUP).
The City Government of Davao had earlier tapped the MGB to conduct a terrain analysis of the city and had incorporated the same to the CLUP.
Velasco also said the most practical for the LGU to do is to evacuate residents. She explained that evacuating is both immediate and less expensive than implementing mitigating measures.
She cited the national road in Mawab where millions of pesos had been spent and yet a certain area in the zigzag road still continues to be affected by the land movement.
"Although evacuation also needs a lot of money, but it's faster and more permanent. Implementing mitigating measures is not only expensive but is also temporary and not a permanent solution to the problem. Now if the value of life is more important to the local leaders then they must act now," Velasco said.
