Many people needlessly died
LAGAWE, IFUGAO – – Today, there’s renewed talk about re-educating Ifugao folks on the danger of landslides. Initial reports showed that Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) pummeled Ifugao, particularly landslide-prone areas.
At Sitio Nabitu in Purok Sumigar of Barangay Viewpoint in Banaue town, two engineers, a casual employee and driver of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and five villagers died due to a landslide at the height of the typhoon. One survived the tragedy and one person is still missing.
Heavy rains softened the soil on the area and triggered the landslide. Other towns such as Aguinaldo, Hingyon, Mayoyao and Tinoc also took the fury of the typhoon.
Asipulo reported no casualties, but damages to property were heavy. A fatal incident occurred at Barangay Guinihon in Mayoyao where a lupon member drowned. The body of 85-year-old Ben Maina was subsequently recovered at Barangay Ducligan in Banaue.
On the other hand, Tinoc immediately declared a state of calamity. This upland farming town was badly battered by landslides that blocked roads. There is no access to it from the adjoining towns of Kiangan, Asipulo and Hungduan as well as from Buguias in Benguet. As a result, Mayor Samson Benito sought relief assistance from the provincial government.
Mayors Jimmy Padchanan Jr. of Mayoyao, Gaspar Chilagan of Aguinaldo and Armando Domilod of Asipulo quickly attended to the needs of their typhoon-stricken town mates.
Apart from coordinating with municipal government officials, actions of Governor Jerry Dalipog and Vice Governor Glenn Prudenciano to ensure that protocols and standards on disaster preparedness are fully observed generated a lot of interest among the people.
Landslides are still a major problem in Ifugao. The unimaginable harm of recurring landslides in the province begs immediate and resolute action.
Just like anywhere else, landslides in Ifugao are caused by rampant cutting of trees in its 11 towns. Bald mountains are very visible all around due to illegal loggers. Forest covers are alarmingly low. Kaingin, or slash and burn farming, persists. It is illegal and very bad for the environment, yet uneducated and ill-disciplined Ifugao folks say there is nothing wrong with it. It is frustrating to responsible and educated individuals here. Their sentiment is they will cooperate with well-meaning public officials, educators and other knowledgeable men and women to act fast and resolutely to educate the people for a change in their attitude. Otherwise, it will be too late.
It is in these landslide-prone areas where Ifugao folks were again and again terribly hit by calamities. A quick action is needed from the provincial government, particularly from the Sanggunian Panlalawigan that should consider conducting an inquiry on the Banawe landslide incident to determine the culpability of erring parties, if any.
It should also look into the operational capabilities of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) given its scarce resources. An increase in its budget is required for it to meet the challenges of the times.
Currently headed by Kenneth Puggong, the PDRRMO is underequipped and undermanned. It receives a breadth of quick updates from the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Office of Civil Defense Cordillera, Department of Science and Technology, United States Weather Bureau and other sources.
The committee on disaster preparedness and management in the Sanggunian is chaired by Board Member Joselito Guyguyon who must wake up to the needs of the times. Observers attribute longstanding problems on misconceptions and ignorance of folks on disaster preparedness. Educating them in this regard must be a priority.
Hopefully, the time in the near future will come when forced evacuation will not anymore be incomprehensible to folks here. Those who perished in the identified landslide-prone areas could have had an ample window of time to move out of harm’s way had they been timely warned..
Were they warned by those duty-bound to do so? ** By Anthony A. Araos
