GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Soccsksargen region has recommended the relocation of three public schools and residents in three upland communities in Barangay Ned in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato due to the possible occurrence of major landslides.
Ariel Austin Acosta, MGB -12 (Soccsksargen) supervising geologist, said Wednesday they have found portions of sitios Seven Lakes, Abboy and Tuburan to be highly vulnerable to landslides as a result of the emergence of multiple ground tension cracks.
He said the affected areas cover
the Seven Lakes, Abboy and Tuburan elementary schools as well as a number of houses in Sitio Tuburan proper and along the El Dulog-Tawang Dagat-Tuburan road.
“These areas are in unstable condition and we are highly recommending the relocation of the school campuses and affected residents to a much safer place,” he said.
The MGB conducted a series of geo-hazard inspection and reassessment of the affected areas earlier this month in coordination with the South Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and the Lake Sebu Municipal DRRMO.
Acosta said it took off from the initial vulnerability and risk assessment conducted by the agency in the same areas two years ago.
In their latest assessment, he said they found tension cracks and ground displacement in areas where the three schools are located that are “indicative of a developing landslide”.
“There is continuous mass movement in the area and further displacement of about two meters on the ground — conditions that are conducive to the inception of landslide,” he said.
Acosta said several houses in Sitio Tuburan and the road connecting Sitios El Dulog-Tawang Dagat-Tuburan were directly affected by the tension cracks and a portion of the road has already slumped.
Aside from the relocation of the school campuses and residents,
MGB-12 directed the Department of Education-12 to comply with the agency’s geo-hazard certification prior to the construction of any government and privately-funded project to properly identify the potential hazards in the area.
It pushed for the conduct of a geotechnical study to determine the characteristics and layering of soil materials underneath the ground prior to the construction of school buildings.
The agency recommended the conduct of preparedness and awareness activities for residents within the vicinity of the landslide-prone areas to “enlighten them on the correct information based on probabilities and consequences of future landslides”.
MGB-12 stressed the need for the conduct of cave inventory prior to road construction works along the El Dulog-Tawang Dagat-Tuburan road due to nearby caves.
Milagros Lorca, South Cotabato-PDRRMO head, said they will monitor the implementation of these recommendations by the concerned agencies.
She said they are planning to conduct an information and education campaign, tree-growing and other related activities in the area on April 7- 9. (FKA/PNA)
