LGU execs told to check on constituents in landslide-prone areas

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo ordered yesterday governors, mayors and barangay chairmen to check on their constituents living in areas prone to landslides, flashfloods and strong typhoons to ensure their safety.

“We need our barangay captains and officials, mayors and governors to identify every sitio and barangay prone to landslide and flood to allow them to establish an alert system,” he said.

Speaking in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, Robredo said the DILG would issue a “redundancy circular” for local government officials to be guided accordingly.

Local government officials were instructed to submit their report and assessment in the next two to three weeks, he added.

Robredo, who visited the landslide sites, said a thorough investigation is being conducted to determine the lapses of local government officials in implementing laws to protect miners.

“We are studying who will be held responsible, it might be the barangay captains up to the municipal mayor and up to the governor,” he said.

“We would like to find out exactly if there are lapses and who were responsible for the lapses.”

Local government officials apparently did not ensure strict implementation of the advisories, Robredo said.

36 dead in landslide

The death toll in the landslide that struck the mining site in Pantukan, Compostela Valley has reached 36.

At least six of the 36 have remained unidentified.

Four more bodies were retrieved yesterday afternoon, according to the Army’s 10th Infantry Division.

Sixteen others have been injured and five have remained at the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.

Forty-two more have remained missing.

Over 200 members of search and rescue groups have been involved in the search for survivors in Purok Diat Uno and Purok Diat Dos in Barangay Napnapan.

Burglars in relocation sites

In Cagayan de Oro City, burglars are making the lives of the victims of tropical storm “Sendong” more difficult in relocation sites.

In an interview with The STAR, Calaanan Civilian Volunteers Organization member Francis Asinero said they have arrested 12 burglars who stole appliances, rice and other belongings of the victims temporarily sheltered at the Tent City relocation site in Calaanan, Cagayan de Oro City.

“The suspects’ ages ranged from 17 and above,” he said.

“They claimed that they are stealing because they don’t have jobs and they were poor.”

Asinero said at least 50 members of the Calaanan Civilian Volunteers Organizations are deployed in the Tent City to secure the 400 families sheltered in makeshift tents.

In a separate interview with The STAR, Constancia Mamba, whose house in Acacia, Zone 7 in Cagayan de Oro City was destroyed in the flashfloods, said they were disheartened by the lack of conscience of the burglars.

“Instead of pity, what we get from them are additional burden,” she said.

“It’s really hurting us because instead of helping us, they are stealing from us the food such as rice donated to us by well-meaning organizations and individuals and the small properties that were left to us.”

Former President Joseph Estrada, who went to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan with his sons Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and San Juan Rep. JV Ejercito, distributed cash to the storm victims in the relocations sites in Calaanan and in the City Central School in Yacayen.

Estrada said he went to Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities to repay his debt of gratitude to the victims of the storm who had supported him and his families during several elections.

“I’m glad to see you again and I’m also sad because of what happened in Cagayan de Oro,” he said.

“When I saw what happened here on television and heard about it on radio, I cannot sleep. That is why I immediately sent my three children, Jinggoy, JV and Jackie the other week.  – With Edith Regalado, Jose Rodel Clapano, Aurea Calica