BAGUIO CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera approved a resolution requesting the local government units in the different parts of the region to install warning signages in areas susceptible to flooding and landslides to forewarn people in observing extra precaution when in the said areas.
The region’s policy-making body chaired by Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan underscored there is a need to intensify information, education and communication campaign to ensure safety, protection and preparedness of communities and take proactive measures in addressing such catastrophes that pose a serious threat to life and limb.
The RDC-CAR noted that the Cordillera, an extremely rugged region with mountainous terrain, is part of the northeast typhoon path originating from the northeast Pacific Ocean, the latter described as ‘the most active tropical cyclone basin in this planet,’ thus not pared from exposure to hydro-meteorological hazards such as typhoons, floods and rain-induced landslides.
Earlier, the Cordillera office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-CAR) was able to complete the 1:10,000 scale geohazard maps for flood and rain-induced landslides in all provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays in the region to serve as a guide for decision and policy-makers in formulating their mandated land use plans.
The RDC-CAR stated that recent assessments of the MGB-CAR showed that 80 percent or 938 of the barangays in the region are highly susceptible to landslides and 16 percent or 184 barangays are very highly susceptible while 42 percent or 94 barangays are highly susceptible to flooding and 17 percent or 198 barangays are very highly susceptible to the same.
On the other hand, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also issued Memorandum Circular No. 2016-113 for the installation of landslide warning signages in high risk areas and providing design, sticker and frame specifications of the supposed signages.
To ensure the safety, protection and preparedness of communities, the Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) in its meeting last August 29, 2018 requested all local government units in the region to immediately install appropriate signages in areas susceptible to flooding and landslides.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has 7 provinces, 2 cities, 75 municipalities and 1,176 barangays.
The RDC-CAR tasked the Cordillera office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-CAR) headed by regional director Dr. Nancy Batog to design a prototype signage, taking into consideration the region’s peculiarities, to ensure the uniformity of warning signages that will be installed in the strategic areas of the region.
Upon the request of the local government units, the MGB-CAR shall provide assistance to the concerned local governments in identifying the exact location of landslide-prone areas in the barangays and municipalities of the region.
Copies of the approved resolution will be furnished the different local governments, DOST-CAR and MGB-CAR for information and appropriate action.
By Dexter A. See
