Council wants landslide victims to get relocation

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council is urging the Local Housing Board and the National Housing Authority to look for a relocation site for residents in three mountain barangays affected by landslides.

Upon the motion of Councilor Jerry Guardo, the City Council wants that the affected residents in Barangays Busay, Sirao, and Adlaon will be relocated to safer ground.

Guardo based his motion on the recommendation of the Mines and Geo-sciences Bureau which inspected the affected barangays. At least 13 households were affected in Busay, 45 in Sirao, and 10 in Adlaon.

Guardo, in a privilege speech yesterday, said that Busay barangay captain Amilo Lopez told him of the tension cracks discovered in his barangay. He said the affected families were immediately evacuated.

In Adlaon, the affected families were temporarily sheltered in a vacant building of the barangay after geologist Denis Aleta of MGB-7 said that their area is no longer safe because of the tension crack.

“MGB discovered that the affected area is clayey in nature and the soil is easily saturated especially during heavy rains thus the expert recommended for the resident to be relocated to a safer area,” Guardo said.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also reported earlier a tension crack in Sirao. In fact, the disaster office recommended closing the famous Sirao Flower Farm from visitors due to risk of landslide.

Guardo also asked the Department of Social Welfare and Services to provide stress debriefing to the affected residents. (FREEMAN)