DENR set to complete geohazard mapping this year

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is set to complete this year the country’s geohazard mapping.

DENR Acting Secretary Eleazar P. Quinto said yesterday that 91 percent of the project’s target of 1,618 municipalities nationwide had been mapped as of last month.

“As of December 2009, a total of 1,474 municipalities have already been covered by our geohazard mapping and assessment program, and we are optimistic we could finish the mapping activity by June, and the production of maps by the end of the year,” Quinto said.  

The geohazard mapping is being done by the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

The project is aimed at determining not only the susceptibility of areas to landslides, floods, liquefaction, ground subsidence and other ground instabilities, but also to identify the possible relocation sites for residents living in areas prone to natural dangers.

The project comprises three components, namely generation of geo-hazard maps which would indicate areas prone to natural dangers; printing and reproduction of maps, posters and video materials related to geo-hazards; and public information campaign to increase public awareness of the various natural hazards and familiarize them with geohazard maps and their uses.

Quinto said the DENR has allotted P60 million this year to ensure the project’s completion. He said priority would be given to areas within the eastern seaboard which are considered most prone to typhoons.

“Specifically, we are targeting the remaining unmapped areas in the eastern seaboard such as portions of Isabela, Cagayan, Samar, Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental,” Quinto said.

He said geohazard mapping in other provinces within the eastern seaboard like the Surigao provinces, Aurora, Ilocos Norte and Davao del Sur have been completed.

Earlier, the MGB identified the 10 provinces that are most prone to landslides. They are Benguet, Mt. Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Kalinga-Apayao, Southern Leyte, Abra, Marinduque, Cebu, Catanduanes and Ifugao.