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Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Slide-prone village declared no man's land
DAVAO CITY -- The local government of Maco in Compostela Valley will now prevent people from living in Barangay Masara after landslides hit the area over the weekend, killing 16.
Officials in Maco town said Saturday's landslide was the third killer landslide in a span of one year and one month.
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Maco Mayor Voltaire Rimando said Barangay Masara was declared a no man's land immediately after the August 7, 2007 landslide that caused the death of 11 people.
Rimando said that despite their declaration, several residents still opted to stay in the area.
He said after the September 6 and 7 landslides, he would now prevent residents from returning to their homes.
Rimando said officials from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) have identified Barangay Masara as highly vulnerable to landslides due to the presence of a creek above it and the softness of the soil in the area.
He also said he needs at least P1 million to find a suitable relocation site for the more than 300 families that reside in the barangay. More is needed for the construction of houses and the provision of livelihood for those who will be displaced.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), along with the Philippine National Police (PNP), is now in the area to secure it from looters and prevent civilians from entering the barangay for safety reasons.
Philippine Army 25th Infantry Battalion commander Major Rodil said their main objective now is to prevent more civilians from becoming victims of another landslide and clear the road that connects Masara to Barangay Teresa.
Like thunder
Jennilyn Canoy, a mother of three, recounted her family's ordeal when the landslide first struck their barangay in the afternoon of September 6.
"Kalit lang man to sya, murag nagsinumbagay and lapok ug bato. Mura'g n'ay truck nga nagbinanggaanay o di kaha helicopter nga nahagbong tungod sa kakusog sa pagdahili sa yuta. Kalit ra pud dayon naundang, murag usa ra ka segundo (It happened so fast. It was like the rocks were slugging it out with the mud. It sounded like trucks colliding, or a helicopter that crashed. The soil just fell so fast and then stopped. I think it just took one second)," Canoy said.
She said they were lucky to have survived the first landslide and for deciding to immediately evacuate. Had they stayed longer, they could have been buried along with their house when the second landslide struck.
Mayor Rimando said the local government would shoulder the burial of the victims and extend assistance in the form of shelter and food for the survivors. He feared though that their resources might not be enough for all the needs of the victims and appealed to other agencies for help.
The mayor had declared several barangays of Maco under a state of calamity. These are the barangays of Masara, Barili, Elizalde, Teresa, Mainit, Panaraon, Tagbaros, Panibasan, and Limbo. Rimando said these barangays are also prone to landslides.
Rimando denied that small-scale mining is the reason for the landslide.
He said the mining area is located in Barangay Teresa and not Masara. He admitted that Masara's main livelihood is gold panning along the river.
Rimando blamed the heavy rain and the softness of the soil for the twin landslides that killed 16 people, injured 24, and left 19 more missing.
As of noon Monday, the dead have been identified as Flordecito Magnanao, Edelyn Cillano, Esteban Namilet, Rosemary Labor, Ma. Teresa Labor, Harold Sanchez, Huaste Redencia, Fernando Aaron, Security Magamayo, Mr. and Mrs. Solasas, barangay captain Jovencio Anquera, and Yaya Kulot.
Some of those missing were identified as Merlita Simberyo, Joel Cortez, Teodoro Velasquez, Eugene Perales, Jingjing Anquera, Keketh Anquera, Romeo Monjas, Esmeraldo Carreon, Jose Salojan and Ryan Pinsa. (BOT/Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pangasinan. (September 10, 2008 issue)
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