Mt Apo villagers relocated to safer areas due to heavy rain

KIDAPAWAN CITY -Some 1,500 residents living in high-risk areas in a village located in Mt. Apo were placed temporarily in safer areas to prevent from being hit by typhoon Hanna. City Mayor Joseph Evangelista, chair of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), considered the transfer as controlled evacuation, after they monitored, using unmanned aerial vehicle, at least 23 landslides from Sitio Sudsuhayan up to Lake Agko in Barangay Ilomavis. The families started packing their things at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The displaced individuals were given immediate relief, including food, water, beddings, medicine and first-aid kits. They sought temporary shelter at the gym in Barangay Ilomavis, at the multi-purpose hall, senior citizens’ building, and barangay hall. We need to vacate these families immediately so as to prevent disasters happening in their very own eyes,” Evangelista told DXND Radyo Bida. These families, majority lumads, live on mountain slopes, about 45 degrees. If heavy rains persist as a result of the bad weather, the risks are high, he explained to affected villagers during his ocular visit on Friday. He said it is likely that he would allow the return of the families once typhoon Hanna leaves the country on Saturday. We don’t want to take chances.This is prevention,” he said. Classes were also suspended on Thursday in three schools on Mount Apo, including the Mount Apo High School, Lake Agko Integrated School and Sayaban Elementary School. Evangelista said he is set to issue an executive order next week to check and plan mitigating measures, especially in areas considered high risks in landslides and flash floods. Also, he will organize a team to check on the roads, especially in areas where the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the city’s engineering district are doing road rehabilitation and concreting. If you check the area,may mga landowners na ayaw pumayag na pasukin ng engineering district ang kanilang lupain.Kaya hirap ang pag-construct ng kalsada. Nasa75 degreesangslopes, the mayor said. Barangay Ilomavis is located just few kilometers away from Mt. Apo’s peak.