Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has assured that the provincial government will find ways to assist residents in landslide prone areas in relocating to safer ground.

The assurance comes as the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) have started conducting a series of seminars/workshops for the different local government units on disaster management.

PDRRMC chair Angelo Tiongson said a team, composed of local officials of the Civil Defense Office, the Mines and GeoSciences Bureau of the Department of Environment  and Natural Resources and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, to name a few, last week visited Giligaon village in Siaton town, about an hour’s drive south of here, to conduct the said seminar/workshop.

 

It was learned during the said activity former residents of Giligaon have already transferred to safer ground after ground cracks were reportedly becoming more visible in the area and would pose a threat to residents there, said Tiongson.

Some of these residents, however, return to Giligaon during daytime to work on their farms, he added.

A few years back, a large portion of the slopes of Giligaon collapsed during a landslide that killed at least three people.

Tiongson said warning signs have already been put up in the landslide prone area of Giligaon even though there are no more houses in the area.

Gov. Degamo said he will look into the possibility of sourcing assistance, or providing livelihood aid to farmers in Giligaon so that they will totally vacate the area as working on their farms even during daytime is very risky.

Meanwhile, the PDRRMC will soon conduct on-site surveys in landslide prone areas such as Sitio Catipon in Bonawon, Apoloy, and the Balanan area in Siaton town, and Pinocawan in Vallehermoso.

It was learned during the said activity former residents of Giligaon have already transferred to safer ground after ground cracks were reportedly becoming more visible in the area and would pose a threat to residents there, said Tiongson.

Some of these residents, however, return to Giligaon during daytime to work on their farms, he added.

A few years back, a large portion of the slopes of Giligaon collapsed during a landslide that killed at least three people.

Tiongson said warning signs have already been put up in the landslide prone area of Giligaon even though there are no more houses in the area.

Gov. Degamo said he will look into the possibility of sourcing assistance, or providing livelihood aid to farmers in Giligaon so that they will totally vacate the area as working on their farms even during daytime is very risky.

Meanwhile, the PDRRMC will soon conduct on-site surveys in landslide prone areas such as Sitio Catipon in Bonawon, Apoloy, and the Balanan area in Siaton town, and Pinocawan in Vallehermoso.