Bontoc, Mountain Province – One individual was injured after their home was hit by a landslide early dawn of June 5, 2022, in Sitio Chepes, Barangay Bontoc Ili, Bontoc, Mountain Province.
The victim was identified as Danny Chamlangen who was immediately brought to Bontoc General Hospital for medical attention.
Per a report from the Bontoc Emergency Operations Center, at around 3:00 AM of June 5, 2022, a landslide transpired at Sitio Chepes, Bontoc Ili, Bontoc, Mountain Province.
Upon receipt of the report, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) informed the Bontoc Municipal Police Station (MPS), Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), barangay officials, and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) of the incident.
A total of 12 individuals left their homes when the incident happened.
The affected individuals are Danny Chamlangen, Calsiman Ofo-ob, and Lorenzo Felwa’s residence with one resident named as Jerry Agnapan.
The affected households and the residents in the other neighboring houses that were not affected decided to evacuate for safety. However, the family residing at Lorenzo Felwa’s residence did not evacuate despite the house being affected by the landslide.
The affected individuals who evacuated at Saint Vincent Elementary School (SVES) eventually returned to their homes at around 6:00 in the morning of June 6, 2022.
The house owned by Chamlangen was affected, damaging their comfort room, and affecting their kitchen and living rooms. He was injured while trying to escape and was managed and transported to Bontoc General Hospital.
Initial interviews with the affected residents revealed that at 1:00 in the morning of June 5, 2022, they heard a rumbling sound from the mountain top but nobody reacted. Dogs were howling but were ignored until at 3:00 AM, there was a loud rumbling sound.
Chamlangen, the owner of the affected house shouted to alarm the neighbors. It was found out that an old pine tree was naturally uprooted and hit the water pipe which released a big volume of water causing massive soil erosion.
As of this writing, clearing operations are still on-going with the help of the 1403rd Community Defense Center, 14 CAR Regional community Group Philippine Army Reserve Command (ARESCOM), ROTC and Criminology students of the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, Bontoc MPS, Bontoc MFS, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), Philippine Red Cross- Mountain Province Chapter, barangay officials, and community volunteers.
As part of the clearing operation, the PDRRM Office provided 500 sacks and a chainsaw. Also, the said office provided four canvasses for temporary slope protection of the area.
Bontoc Vice Mayor Eusebio Kabluyen provided an additional chainsaw to be used in the operation along with manpower from Barangay Talubin.
Meanwhile, Social Welfare Officer II Shawnee Bob Anongos of the MSWDO said that food relief and family kits were provided by the Bontoc LGU and the Provincial Government of Mountain Province through the PDRRMO. Among the food packs provided by the Bontoc LGU through the MSWDO are three sacks of rice and three boxes of canned goods. These are given to the three households affected by the landslide. Aside from these, the Bontoc LGU through the MSWDO provided two sacks of rice while the MDRRMO provided other food items, bottled waters, paper plates, paper cups, and garbage bags to augment the needs of the men working at the site for the on-going clearing operations.
Anongos added that financial assistance will be given to the landslide victims once the necessary documents are processed.
Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey who is also the chairperson of the MDRRMC expressed his profound gratitude to all responders and volunteers.
He added that during trying times, the spirit of Bayanihan or “ Og-ogfo” is very much alive.**Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay and Christy Mae F. Che-es, Bontoc LGU