IT WAS raining at Kampo Uno, near the Immaculate Conception Quasi-Parish in Barangay Elizalde, Maco, Davao de Oro on the afternoon of July 31, 2024, where Nelly Ann Darling Salise, one of the survivors of the tragic Masara landslide, is staying at her tent.
Salise was waiting for her children to get back home when SunStar Davao interviewed her.
As among the over 1,000 families displaced from the tragic landslide, she can't help but feel slight anxiety whenever the rain starts to pour in their area.
Salise recalled the tragic day that would change her and her family's lives.
She recalled that prior to the landslide, Zone 1, Barangay Masara in Maco had been experiencing non-stop rain for the past few days. She also noticed a slight soil movement due to the incessant rain. One individual reportedly died after being buried alive when he returned to check his livestock.
The earlier landslides resulted in the nearby river’s water elevating.
During that time, she and some of her family members barely had sleep since they were on the lookout for a possible landslide.
"Wala mi kuryente ato nga time. Wala mi kabalo asa padulong ang mga lapok na mamisik once na mudahili na ang yuta (We didn't have electricity at that time. We didn't know where the mud would go once the soil starts to erode)," Salise shared.
On the evening of February 6, 2024, residents were about to settle into their homes, while some were having dinner. Some workers at a nearby mining company were also about to go home to their families when a landslide occurred.
"Nikalit lang gyud siya og landslide nga wa gyud siya pahimangno nga bisan sign nga ginagmay. Kalit gyud siya... Mabati pa gani nako ang mga dahunog sa bato sa yuta nga dili nimo masabtan nga kalit gyud siya kaayo nga murag gihagbaan og pila ka tonelada nga dump truck (A landslide suddenly occurred without any warning, not even a small sign. It happened so suddenly... I could even hear the rumbling of rocks and soil that you couldn't make sense of; it was so sudden like tons of rocks and land being dumped by a dump truck)," Salise emotionally narrated.
The residents were all struggling to survive at that moment.
"Tungod sa kangitngit, wala nami kasabot asa padulong. Naghinilakay na mi, syinagitay. Wala nami kasabot. Wala ko kabalo aha among mga anak nabutang (Because of the darkness, we couldn't figure out where to go. We were crying, shouting. We were completely lost. I didn't know where my children were)," she said.
Upon turning on her flashlight, she was devastated to see that the entire barangay hall and the houses nearby with some of their neighbors inside were all buried in an instant.
"Ang kurog, kakulba sa among mga kalawasan murag... grabe pati among kaunoran namo sulod pirti gyud kuruga (The trembling in our bodies due to fear was intense... even our muscles were shaking)," Salise said.
It was fortunate that her family survived, but it continues to pain her that she will no longer get to Masara, where she had started her family. What hurts her the most is that the people she used to mingle and talk to did not made it alive.
"Everytime mulili ko sa among dating gipuy-an maghilak gihapon ko. Mga bata nga makita nimo dati magdinaganay ug magdula, mga silingan nimo, wala na sila. Patay na sila. Diha mutulo na sab akong luha kay masakitan man ko og tan-aw (Every time I look at the place where we used to live, I still cry. The children you used to see running around and playing, your neighbors — they're gone. They're dead. Tears would still fall because it pains me to see it)," she emotionally said.
Second chance in life
The recent landslide in Maco was her second chance in life.
Salise revealed that this wasn’t the first time she became a landslide survivor.
In 2008, around 3 p.m., it was raining heavily in Barangay Masara and the soil kept eroding. Upon observing this for a while, she evacuated her children from the boarding house to her father's house, which she deemed a safer place from a landslide.
"Samtang ginabakwit nako akong mga anak, hinay-hinay na gadahili ang yuta, Pero sige ra gihapon ko agi sa dalan nga kon asa posible mubagsak ang yuta (While I was evacuating my children, the soil was slowly starting to erode. But I kept on going, even along the road where the land could possibly collapse)," she said.
As she was already carrying her third child, who was only three months old at that time, a landslide already occurred, and she was only inches away from being buried alive.
She never thought that she would encounter that scenario, which usually happens in movies.
"Gibitbit dayon nako akong anak dayon dagan. Paglingi nako sa akong likod, ang kato naman diayng bukid kanang makita nimo samtang nagdagan ko. Midagan gyud ko og paspas para lang makaikyas ug maluwas akong anak nga pirti nakong gakos (I immediately carried my child and ran. When I looked back, I saw that the mountain was already collapsing down behind me as I was running. I ran as fast as I could just to escape and save my child, whom I was holding tightly)," Salise said.
There were also residents behind her who were also running away but did not manage to survive.
"Makita nimo na nangayo pa og tabang tapos maoy pagkatabon sa yuta. Ang mga kahoy nangahagba, mura nag niliyo ang tubig nga murag tsokolate na ang color. Naa pay bata didto nga nagsakay sa bani nangayo og tabang. Wala ko nakabalo kung nakalingkawas siya (You could see people still asking for help as they were being buried. The trees were falling, and the water looked like it was swirling, almost already chocolatey. There was even a child riding a banana stem, asking for help. I don't know if they made it out alive)," she said.
Upon reaching the hillside, her father was waiting for her when she arrived looking traumatized.
"Mura kog naa sa state of shock. Gilaparo na lang ko para lang makamata ko (I felt like I was in a state of shock. Someone had to slap me just to snap me out of it)," she said.
She rested inside the house. But that nightmare wasn't over yet.
Around dawn, they woke up to the sound of the roof being hit by eroding soil, hinting that a landslide was about to happen.
It was already too late for them to leave for they would still end up being buried alive.
"Basta giduphan na lang nako sila. Niingon na lang ko'g 'Lord, pasaylua na lang mi kung unsa man ang among mga sala.' Nituo gyud mi ato na mamatay na mi atong higayuna kay lagapak man gyud kaayo (I just covered them, and said, 'Lord, forgive us for whatever sins we have committed.' We really believed at that moment that we were going to die because it was pouring so hard)," she said.
When she opened her eyes, she saw the dust from the eroded soil. She immediately opened the door, and escaped with tears in her eyes, knowing that it wasn't yet her time.
Salise remains thankful that to this day, she is still alive, and that none of her family members were harmed in the landslides they previously encountered.
She revealed that days before the tragedy, she sensed that an unfortunate incident was about to happen.
"Maka-sense ko nga dunay dili maayong panghitabo ang mahitabo. Wala nako gina-ignore pero wala sab nako ginaingon kay basin ingnan kog buang (I have a gut feeling that something bad is about to happen. I'm not dismissing it, but I'm hesitant to mention it because people might think I'm being paranoid)," Salise said.
She also revealed that she had been dreaming of "Birhen na Milagrosa" days before, which she said had given her a sign that an unfortunate incident was about to happen. She also said that even her son had seen the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Masara landslide
The landslide occurred at around 7:50 p.m. on February 6. An estimated 9.8 hectares of land was buried by rocks, mud and trees that slid over 700 meters (2,300 feet) down a steep mountainside near the Apex Mining Co concession in Zone 1 of Barangay Masara.
At least 42 of the dead were residents including 26 mine employees. Among those initially reported missing were 45 gold miners employed by Apex who were waiting in three buses to be driven home at the end of one of three shifts for the mine's 24-hour operation. At least 32 people were rescued from the debris and were injured, some of whom were bus passengers who had managed to jump out before the landslide hit. An official said that the height of the landslide was enough to "almost cover a two-story building."
The landslide buried the transport terminal where the buses were located, as well as a jeepney, 62 houses, and the barangay hall of Masara. Most of the residents in the affected community worked either as miners or took jobs servicing the miners. The landslide also blocked a tributary of the Hijo River that traverses the village, raising fears of a flash flood.
Davao de Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga blamed the disaster on heavy rains brought by a shear line and trough of a low-pressure area that affected the Davao Region and other parts of Mindanao.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said that the landslide was due to natural causes, particularly persistent rains in the area since January 2024. It also added that the area was among those in the fault line. An evacuation had previously been ordered in the area, but some residents returned to check on their belongings and prepare food.
The Incident Management Team (IMT) did not find any additional human remains in ground zero after February 18. As early as then, several groups of responders ended their efforts to participate in the operations.
On February 22, search and retrieval operations at the site were terminated following an executive order by Municipal Mayor Arthur Carlos Voltaire Rimando, as recommended by the IMT which reported the "completion of [clearing operations] at ground zero".
Ninety-eight fatalities were recovered from the landslide, (excluding several body parts) while eight individuals remain missing, which are said among those still unidentified.
As of July 2024, Lea Añora, head of the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region 11’s Management of the Dead and the Missing (DILG-MDM) cluster, said that all 88 casualties of the landslide had been identified and the municipal government had turned over the remains of the last eight of the 88 victims of the tragedy on July 5.
Authorities have designated Masara a "No Build Zone" following the devastating 2008 landslide. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB)-Davao has assessed the area as hazardous for construction.
Beverly Mae M. Brebante, chief of the Geosciences Division at MGB, confirmed that Barangay Masara was identified as a critical area as early as 2008.
"In 2008, we all know na nagkaroon na po ng ganitong klaseng paghulog ng lupa at covered part na po ng barangay Masara, yung original na barangay Masara dati, that is why it was already recommended na maging "No Build Zone" na siya (that there was this kind of deluge of earth, and it covered part of the barangay Masara, the original Barangay Masara before, that is why it was already recommended to be a "No Build Zone)," Brebante said.
She noted that the land in Barangay Masara is primarily composed of volcaniclastics, rocks broken down by volcanic activity and prone to erosion. According to Collins Dictionary, volcaniclastics consist mainly of fragments from volcanic eruptions, such as agglomerate and tuff.
Despite the "No Build Zone" designation, Masara is home to many residents, as well as barangay halls, schools, and mining companies.
During a House of Representatives hearing on March 12, 2024, it was revealed that the MGB issued geohazard certificates allowing local rebuilding efforts in Masara in 2017 and 2021.
Brebante said that after the 2008 landslide, the MGB has regularly updated concerned government offices on the situation and provided lists of barangays and puroks vulnerable to landslides and flooding.
Living in fear
The 2008 landslide left a lasting impact on those who lived near ground zero.
Xieannerose Herda, a survivor, struggles with trauma triggered by even minor rain.
"Ang trauma nako grabe. Unlike ato 2008, kaya lang, karon dili na. Gamay lang dahunog, makuratan dayon ko (The trauma is severe. Unlike in 2008, I now get startled easily at any sound)," Herda said.
Her trauma has affected her relationships and daily life, making her irritable and forgetful.
"Pati ako anak masinghagan na nako. Dali lang kayo ko masuko. Nausab gyud akong batasan (Even my child has felt my anger. I get upset quickly now. My behavior has really changed)," she said.
Tolits Garcia, another survivor, recounted being trapped in his house during the landslide. "Giingnan nako akong asawa ug akong mga anak ato, 'Murag diria ra gyud ta taman' (I told my wife and kids, `This might be our end.'"
After the landslide, he was sleepless for days and still experiences shock at reminders of the event. His wife is deeply affected, often breaking down when recalling the incident as her relatives were buried alive.
Seeking help
Salise has been attending weekly counseling sessions provided by the provincial government and NGOs, which she finds helpful. She also engages in government and NGO livelihood programs to stay occupied.
“Usahay ga-overthink pa gihapon ko, pero kinahanglan gyud nako tabangan ako sarili. I–relax ra nako ako self. Usahay maka-overthink ko sa trauma na ako nga nasinati (I try not to dwell on the problems, but it's hard not to think about them sometimes)," Salise said.
She also turns to her faith for comfort.
Facing the reality
Salise emphasizes the need to move on and acknowledges that returning to their previous living conditions is not an option.
“Di na nako gusto mubalik sa ing-ato nga sitwasyon (I don’t want to go back to that situation),” she said, underscoring the importance of heeding warnings to prevent further loss of life.
Garcia is committed to learning from the past and complying with evacuation orders. He believes in climate change, although he admits limited knowledge. He sees the landslide as a stark warning of worsening conditions.
Gov’t intervention
Elizabeth Uy, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer of Maco, Davao de Oro, said the government has been actively assisting residents, particularly with mental health support.
"Every now and then, ginakonsulta namo sila kung unsa ba ang ilang mga problema (We regularly check on the residents in their tents and address their problems)," she added.
Uy said there is a need to address their anxiety and depression to help them cope with their traumatic experience as this would have a huge effect on their well-being.
She emphasized the need for effective counseling and debriefing to address anxiety and depression.
The government also has programs for traumatized children. However, Uy acknowledged challenges such as limited manpower and expertise, with only two experts handling the intervention. The plan is to enhance psychological support at the barangay level.
Currently, 190 families reside in tents in two camps, while efforts are underway to relocate them to safer sites in Calablab and Elizalde.
Climate change and its effect on mental health
The World Health Organization highlights the serious mental health risks posed by climate change.
"The impacts of climate change are increasingly part of our daily lives, and there is very little dedicated mental health support available for people and communities dealing with climate-related hazards and long-term risk,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health at WHO.
Choefilo Limikid, executive manager of the Philippine Mental Health Association-Davao Chapter, notes that unstable weather and extreme conditions can significantly impact mental health.
"Even a simple unstable weather, dako na siya'g epekto. Hilabi na ang extreme heat or sobrang kusog sa ulan, it already has a huge toll on our mental health (Even minor weather disruptions have major effects. Extreme heat or heavy rainfall takes a toll on our mental well-being)," Limikid said.
He stressed the need to adapt to these changes, though he clarified that climate change is not solely responsible for specific mental health conditions but can be a trigger. RGL