The city government will conduct a more intensive assessment of landslide-prone areas and explore engineering solutions to mitigate risks following the deadly landslide in Guisad Surong that claimed ten lives last Aug. 9, 2026.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city is taking this direction as it can not simply resort to relocating residents in hazardous areas noting the need to first determine where and how affected families can be safely transferred.
“Madali sabihin na paalisin ang tao sa lugar nila, pero and problema saan mo sila ililipat?” the mayor said emphasizing the need to consider practical and sustainable solutions.
He said around 85 percent of Baguio’s 56-square-kilometer land area is considered highly susceptible to landslides underscoring the need for long-term solutions rather than relying solely on relocation.
The mayor said the city will work with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and concerned city offices in a series of engagements for a more comprehensive assessment of landslide risks and possible interventions.
He said the city also enlisted the help of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) through Secretary Vince Dizon who is expected to come up to the city to conduct assessments and meet with the Regional Development Council (RDC) for a strategic evaluation of infrastructure needs in the Cordillera particularly measures to address risks posed by typhoons and extreme weather events in the coming years.
The initiative comes after the landslide in Riverside, Guisad Surong, during the onslaught of Tropical Storm Maymay and days of southwest monsoon rains.
The area has been declared a no-build zone following findings of its unsafe condition.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) led by Engr. Charles Bryan Carame earlier found the site unsafe describing it as “fully saturated and very highly susceptible to landslide.”
The findings are consistent with the MGB’s detailed landslide and flood susceptibility maps and the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), which identify the area as hazardous because of its susceptibility to landslides.
The City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office (CPDSO), under Coordinator Arch. Donna Tabangin also said there are geographical characteristics and factors that may have contributed to the erosion including the critical slope, inadequate drainage, susceptibility to seismic activity and other hazards and unsuitable vegetation.
Tabangin also showed the digital twin, or 3D virtual replica, of Guisad Surong, which showed that the three houses directly affected by the landslide, as well as those immediately surrounding them, were not covered by building permits.
The tragedy has prompted the city to look more closely at other areas with similar conditions and determine appropriate measures to reduce the risks to residents. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo
