Photo credit: Cordillera Geo Services
Authorities in the Cordillera region have renewed warnings to residents and small-scale miners to take extra precautions amid continuous rains, citing increased risk of landslides across the mountainous terrain.
“Conduct hazard hunting in the house premises – wirings, roofs, house integrity,” said Engr. Jose Ignacio Valera, officer-in-charge of the Office of Civil Defense and chair of the Cordillera Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), in a recent policy statement.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has released a list of hazard-prone and critical zones in various Cordillera provinces, which local governments are using to guide pre-emptive or forced evacuation efforts.
In Itogon, Benguet—a town with extensive small-scale mining activity—municipal DRRM officer Engr. Cyril Batcagan underscored that the local government continues to advise residents not to conduct underground mining during weather disturbances.
“Even light rains when they are regular can drench the soil and cause a landslide if there is a heavy downpour,” Batcagan said in Ilocano during a Tuesday media interview.
He noted that while mining is an essential livelihood, safety must come first. “It was unfortunate that there were three people who died in that incident,” he said, referring to the June 23 landslide that struck a shanty in Camp 5, Acupan, Barangay Virac, killing three small-scale miners. The structure, built on a steep 90-degree slope, was hit by earth that collapsed from the adjacent mountainside.
Batcagan added that many areas in Itogon are classified as critical, and residents must stay alert to signs of soil movement, especially in areas affected by land development or home expansion.
“We also remind our residents to check their houses, their surroundings because while they are not located in critical areas, if there is soil disturbance due to land development or house expansions, there might be some danger that is developing,” he said in the vernacular.
All barangays in Itogon have designated evacuation sites, mostly beside barangay halls or in nearby schools. “Let us not risk it,” Batcagan emphasized. “For personal and our family’s safety, let us evacuate immediately when needed.”
What more can be done to protect mining communities from rain-induced hazards? Join the discussion.
Follow AngMinero on Facebook and LinkedIn for more updates.
