THE Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-Cordillera is calling on Baguio City to follow risk mapping and geological assessments before any construction proceeds to ensure the safety of all.
MGB-Cordillera Mine Safety Engineer Felizardo Gacad Jr. in the weekly Talakayan sa Environment Code explained the importance of applying and using the risk maps that MGB distributed to the local government unit before any construction may pursue.
"If we make an assessment of a certain area as far as the geological condition is concern, it does not mean that there can never be development in that area, for example if we say that there is moderate susceptibility to erosion and landslide, what we have to design structure should consider the condition of the area because if you know the area to be weak, we should not place a facility which is also weak or even heavier which the area could not accommodate. That's why geological assessment is very important because it determines the whole building," Gacad said.
The engineer said the need for a geotechnical analysis and assessment for facilities should relate with the geological condition of an area.
Gacad made the Natonin incident in Mountain Province in 2018 as an example where the building of the Municipal Public Works Department, which was constructed in a stable area, was washed out by landslide.
ìI cannot answer yes itís safe, itís stable, I cannot do that and even our geologist maybe able to do that. We can provide you information so that if ever there will be development like an establishment of an ERS or a parking building or what not, and then we have to consider the assessment. It means that before getting a building permit, you have to first go to the MGB to know if there is a geologic assessment or to the DPWH to know the stability analysis of your design, which is why we have to work on this,î the Mine Safety Engineer reiterated.
Gacad said he also favors the application of a moratorium for building construction in the city to allow proper geologic analysis of lands to be done first.
"Personally, I think there should be a moratorium on building construction in the city. You know what, we've been mentioning this ever since that Baguio was designed for 25,000 people and now, how many do we have? If we want an urban jungle then that's not Baguio City. We have to leave certain portions for Mother Nature because Mother Nature knows best," Gacad added.
Baguio City Councilor Mylen Yaranon pointed also to the need to use risk maps provided by the MGB.
"I was there when the MGB provided the city with the mapping of risk areas, but our problem in the city is that our Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) has no analysis to map where the buildable and non-buildable areas are. The map that MGB gave which indicates the geological formation among others is still the same, but if we analyze the geologic and locations indicating sink holes, this is still not mapped in the CLUP that this are not supposed to be buildable areas which is why there is a need to incorporate the results of the mapping, the overlaying GIS mappings which we lacking," Yaranon stressed.
A plan by the present administration to look into the development of the Baguio City Market is set to be done which should undergo the appropriate geological assessment before any development should push through.