Geological hazards imperil 7,000 houses in Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY — Some 7,000 houses in this highland resort city sitting on government-identified geologically hazardous areas are "in imminent and present danger," especially during the rainy season.

Engineer Neoman de la Cruz, director of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), warned that these houses, representing about 10 percent of the 52,302 houses in the city, are threatened by subsidence or other ground movements.

These houses are those near the City Camp lagoon and in the Dominican-Mirador area, Purok 7 in Irisan, portions of the Kennon Road stretch within the city limit, Camps 7 and 8, Mines View, Victoria Village, Purok 3 in Central Fairview, Pacdal, Old Lucban along Magsaysay Road, Cabinet Hill and Lucban.

According to the MGB, flooding, ground movement and subsidence are the common geological threats facing these areas, especially during heavy rains which exacerbate the dangerous geologic situation.

The MGB has drawn up a geo-hazard map of the Cordilleras, which shows that the whole regional road network is also within geologically hazardous areas.

This probably explains why most of Cordillera’s roads linking villages to town centers, including Baguio City, are ravaged by landslides and roadcuts during heavy rains.

De la Cruz said a more detailed geo-hazard map is needed, particularly covering the BLIST (Baguio, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan and Tuba) area.

In echoing the warning, De la Cruz said they mean no harm to local businesses, especially property developers, and only want to minimize the loss of lives and property when tragedy strikes.

The MGB said a more detailed geo-hazard mapping system should be supported by local officials since it will guide them in drawing up zoning ordinances.

After the July 16, 1990 killer earthquake, the MGB identified at least 40 geologically hazardous areas in Baguio and elsewhere in the region.

Baguio City, for instance, sits on crisscrossing fault lines. Other identified areas are Barangays Pagala, Bangbangkag, Labon and San Miguel in Bucay, Abra; and Barangays Kabaroan, Balong, Poblacion West, Sukbot and Laya in Tabuk, Kalinga.