Wait ‘til rehab works are done, CDRRMO told

THE Mines and Geosciences Bureau 11 (MGB 11) advised the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to wait for the completion of Department of Works and Highways 11 (DPWH 11)'s rehabilitation activities in the affected area of Shrine Hills before allowing evacuees to return to their homes.

During the Connect press conference yesterday, October 13, 2017 at SM Lanang Premiere, MGB 11 Geology Division chief Beverly Brebante said CDRRMO asked MGB 11 for an approval if it is already safe for the evacuees to return to their homes.

Almost 40 families were evacuated last week due to imminent danger of landslide at Shrine Hills last October 5.

"DPWH 11 is conducting several rehabilitation construction along the affected area such as putting up of Gabions or wire work container filled with rocks, concrete, and other materials to help support the slopes, as well as the spraying of shot crete or concrete to harden the wall blocks," Brebante said.

Such activities have to be finished first before allowing the evacuees to

return to assure that their homes will be protected from any possible erosion that might happen in the future.

She said the area where the landslide occurred is still considered habitable if the land will be developed with mitigating measures to stabilize it soil component and reduced its vulnerability from landslide. The major soil component present in the hills is silt granular sediments common in bodies of water and susceptible to soil disruption.

With the possibility that the ongoing rehabilitation activities of DPWH 11 may result to another occurrence of landslide, Brebante said MGB 11 does not recommend the department to discontinue its construction as such may result to damaging effect.

"Since DPWH 11 already started its activities, the soil is not any more stable so they really have to finish what they have started," she said.

MGB 11 is in constant dialogue with DPWH 11 regarding its rehabilitaion activities to assure that it will not worsen the situation at Shrine Hills.