• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Following a geo-hazard assessment at a collapsed mountain slope in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has discovered multiple large horizontal cracks with a depth measuring three to nine feet.
The area that collapsed is located in Camp Valdez, Barangay Mambaroto.
Initial MGB findings noted 80 to 100 meters of ground vertical displacement with deep cracks, presence of seepages and natural springs, identification of several cave openings, evidence of downward mass movement resulting in canal blockade, signs of recent landslides, and talus deposits.
During a meeting on Oct. 20 called by Mayor Gina Montilla-Lizares, which was attended by the MGB representatives and members of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), City Engineer Raffy Jabonete proposed the quarrying of the affected area as part of the mitigation strategy to reduce the risks posed by the ongoing mass movement at the mountain foot slope.
In response to his suggestion, the MGB cautioned that introducing heavy equipment for quarrying activities could further destabilize the underground structure, which could potentially lead to a collapse.
Hinobaan municipal DRRM officer Jose Yusay stressed the urgency of identifying an alternative route to maintain access and mobility in the area while Jabonete suggested that the road from Sitio Mauboy to Crossing Porong could serve as a potential alternative route.
Dionelo Bogtae, coordinator of the Sipalay CDRRM Office, pointed out during the meeting that the proposed route is impassable to heavy equipment and suitable only for light vehicles.
Jabonete also reiterated the need for widening and improving the identified road to make it passable for all types of vehicles.
The MGB-Negros Island Region suggested that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) take a lead in identifying and implementing appropriate mitigating measures in the affected area.
The DPWH was also requested to implement immediate restrictions on the passage of heavy equipment along the affected roadway.
“Every time a heavy equipment passes, the road surface near the landslide visibly shakes,” Bogtae said. “This exacerbates the existing instability and increases the risk of further collapse”.
The affected area has been cordoned off, with public access strictly prohibited by the MGB and CDRRMO.
Seismic activity, including the recent earthquakes and aftershocks, were among those being looked into that triggered the ongoing geological event. | GB
