MGB 11 says Shrine Hills in Davao ‘critically susceptible’ to landslide

DAVAO CITY – An official of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) in the Davao Region said the collapsed portion of the Shrine Hills along Diversion Road here was actually part of the debris that collapsed from a previous landslide in the 1990s.

From “very highly susceptible to landslide”, MGB 11 geology division chief Beverly Mae Brebante said that they have already raised the warning in the area to “critically susceptible (to a landslide)” a portion of the Shrine Hills after an October 5 landslide.

Five days earlier, boulders had had already chipped away from the side of the hill.

As such, MGB 11 has recommended that no further developments be undertaken around the landslide area, unless some “hard engineering” measures like benching of the slope will be introduced to support the weakened ground.

“Since it’s an old landslide area, there is always a possibility that the ground will collapse again. So, we discourage development if no measures will be done to mitigate the possibility of another landslide,” she said.

Brebante said the landslide was triggered by heavy downpour, overloading of the slope, and widening project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11, which promised to undertake some measures to stabilize the ground.

She said the MGB 11 identified two other possible seismic-related hazards at the Shrine Hills such as sinkholes and ground rupture.

Environmental group Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) executive director ChinkiePelino-Golle said Shrine Hills has remained a “tragedy waiting to happen.”

Golle said that they were wary that similar incidents could recur due to poor regulations and monitoring mechanism of the local government unit (LGU) on new developments around Shrine Hills in Matina.

“The LGU could have regularly monitored the area and ensured the strict regulation of construction activities at the top,” she said.