DAVAO CITY—About 40 families of at least a hundred individuals living along a landslide-prone area at the Shrine Hills along the Carlos P. Garcia Highway, will be evacuated and temporarily transferred to the city government’s site in Los Amigos, Tugbok, this city.
“As per advice by the mayor (Mayor Sara-Duterte-Carpio) the residents of the area affected by the landslide should leave the area and will be evacuated temporarily in Los Amigos,” City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center (CDRRMC) operations and warning officer Rodrigo Bustillo said.
He said based on scientific data given by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) the area already pose a danger to residents since there is a big crack on that part of the 7th Day Adventist property.
The CDRRMC has strengthened the conduct of its regular risk assessment considering the daily rains and occurrences of earthquakes in the area.
On Thursday night, a landslide occurred at Shrine Hills, closing the highway to heavy vehicles like trucks.
The 2013 revised Davao City Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) and Zoning Ordinance declared Shrine Hills an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone.
As early as 2010, an MGB geohazard survey has classified the slopes of Shrine Hills as unsafe.
Up to seven families who are residing directly at the affected slope have been evacuated Thursday.
However, there is still a need to evacuate 40 more families as they are also residing in the “impacted” areas.
“There is a big possibility that this small crack in the area can lead to a more serious landslide,” he said. The specific area affected geographically belongs to Matina Pangi, but the residents there are registered with Barangay Langub.
Bustillo was referring to the Shrine Hills view deck area immediately fronting the former dumpsite of the city.
Since the Shrine Hills area belongs to an economic subzone, he said, it is very sensitive in terms of ecological aspect.
One of the possible causes of the ground movement that has caused the crack and landslide in the area is the road widening being implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“Whether they like it or not they must be removed from the area given the present danger,” he said.
The CDRRMC has already engaged the residents in a series of talks to inform them about the situation.
Most of the residents in the affected area are informal settlers, some of who are scavengers which explains why they settled in that area along Diversion road.
The area has been classified as a danger zone as it is along the highway and not good for habitation he added.
The residents who will be evacuated from the Shrine Hills-Diversion area will be brought to the Los Amigos evacuation center where they can stay temporarily.
However, once the area is declared uninhabitable and dangerous then they will no longer be allowed to go back and build their houses there.
“What we are doing is to mitigate the danger through an accelerated controlled erosion,” Bustillo said.
DPWH has started removing the boulders at the topmost area with a backhoe to lessen the impact. (Lovely Carillo/PNA)
