17 upland CL villages face threats of landslides

TARLAC – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) have placed 17 upland villages in Central Luzon under surveillance due to their "high risk" of landslides.

MGB officials said three of the 17 landslide-prone villages are in Tarlac, namely Barangays Lubigan, Maamot and Sula in the upland municipality of San Jose.

Thus, Tarlac Gov. Jose Yap has stepped up "efforts to prepare and educate the affected villagers in San Jose as well as in other parts of the province facing the same risk."

"The chain of events resulting from natural disasters should serve as a warning that these could cause serious impact on lives and properties," Yap said.

The provincial environment and natural resources office said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has donated two rain gauges to monitor the amount of rainfall in San Jose.

Aside from these devices, Yap said "vegetative measures" have been put in place with the hope that these would help mitigate the threats of landslides.

Control planting and reforestation have been undertaken to strengthen the soil in the hills of San Jose, especially near the Ecotourism Park in Barangay Lubigan, and thus lessen the threats of landslides and flash floods.

Last year, members of the Iglesia ni Cristo and Army reservists planted 5,000 seedlings in the hills of San Jose.

Diversion and drainage canals were also constructed to control the flow of water from the hills.