LGUs urged to use geohazard maps to prepare for calamities
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 09/18/2008 8:10 PM
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The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) urged local government units to take advantage of the national government's geohoazard mapping program to plan ahead and prepare for impending calamities brought about by typhoons.
According to studies made by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), six more more typhoons are expected to hit the country before December ends. Three of these are expected to become supertyphoons that could cause damages and casualties.
"Dapat ito ay malaman ng mga taumbayan hindi upang sila ay takutin, kundi ay mapaghandaan nila," said PAGASA chief weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz.
Due to the possibility of these threats, the NDCC and the Mines and Geoscience Bureau (MGB) have heightened their geohazard mapping operations across the nation.
The geohazard mapping identifies areas across the country that are highly at risk of floods or landslides brought by typhoons and other natural calamities.
Out of a total of 1,660 municipalities and cities, 1,098 have already been given maps to help in identifying problem areas.
"Ang geohazard maps ay napakalaking pakinabang para dun sa.. pagpaplano in case ng trahedya," said MGB Geology Division chief Antonio Apostol.
Despite this, some local governments are seemingly disregarding the information in these maps, which led to fatal incidents which they said could have been avoided have the local officials acted based on the geohazard mapping information.
One such incident was the landslides in Baragay Masara, Maco, Compostela Valley on September 6 and 7, which occurred after the NDCC and the MGB warned both the municipal and barangay officials concerned about possible landslides in the area based on the geohazard maps.
The NDCC and the MGB said the casualties could have been absent had the local governments used the information provided to relocate residents.
"May mapa tayo, may building code tayo, gamitin natin yun ng tama sa planning and development. Posible nating maiwasan ang mga disaster," said Lennie Alegra of the Office of the Civil Defense.
The NDCC and the MGB are hoping that local governments would learn from the Maco incident and use the geohazard maps in planning ahead. With a report from Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News
