The city government will seek to declare the site of the deadly Aug. 9 landslide in Barangay Guisad Surong a no-build zone due to the high risk of further slope failure.
In a statement on Saturday, Aug. 16, the city said the decision was reached during a post-incident meeting called by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Aug. 12 to discuss the protection and rehabilitation of the landslide site, now designated as ground zero, as well as assistance for residents affected by the disaster that killed 10 people.
The city government said rebuilding destroyed properties and constructing new structures at the site will no longer be allowed because of its precarious condition.
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Engr. Charles Bryan Carame said an assessment found the area to be ‘fully saturated and very highly susceptible to landslide.’
The finding is consistent with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s detailed landslide and flood susceptibility maps and the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which identify the area as hazardous because of its susceptibility to landslides.
The City Planning, Development and Sustainability Office (CPDSO), headed by Donna Tabangin, also identified several factors that may have contributed to the erosion, including the area’s critical slope, lack of a proper drainage system, susceptibility to seismic activity and other hazards and unsuitable vegetation.
The office also presented a 3D digital replica of Guisad Surong, which showed that the three houses directly affected by the landslide, as well as nearby structures, did not have building permits.
The City Engineering Office (CEO), under City Engineer Richard Lardizabal, meanwhile found visible cracks and loose, unstable soil in the upper portion of the slope beside a house near the eroded section.
Portions of an adjacent walkway had also cracked, indicating possible ground movement and the risk of further slope failure amid continuing monsoon rains, according to the CEO’s report.
It was recommended that occupants vacate the house as a precaution while temporary protective measures are put in place.
The CDRRMO said appropriate engineering interventions will be studied before implementation, with the involvement of the MGB and the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Initial restoration works for the site have also been included among the calamity projects submitted by the CDRRMO to the Department of Economy, Planning and Development for possible funding.
Magalong said the city will also examine engineering solutions for other areas in Baguio that face similar landslide risks.
‘It’s easy to say that the solution would be to remove people, move out of these danger zones but when we think about it, where will we relocate them?’ Magalong said.