17 city barangays in calamity state due to extreme cold

CEBU, Philippines - Due to the unusually cold weather, the Cebu City Council has declared 17 upland barangays under a state of calamity yesterday.

The council also authorized Mayor Michael Rama to utilize available resources, including the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management fund, to extend assistance to the affected families.

Barangays Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Buot-Taup, Malubog, Tabunan, Bonbon, Lusaran, Adlaon, Sirao, Tagba-o, Taptap, Guba, Cambinocot, Paril, Budlaan, Pung-ol Sibugay and Sinsin were greatly affected by the “unusual extreme cold.”

This resulted in the destruction of livestock and crops estimated to worth P1.6 million as assessed by city agriculturist Joey Baclayon.

At least 36 cattle, carabao, piglet, goat and sheep were found dead in those barangays possibly due to hypothermia, said Councilor Dave Tumalak, chairperson of Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.

 â€œNangliki ang mga panit, murag gitigbas-tigbas,” Tumulak described the dead animals following an ocular inspection at the upland barangays on Tuesday.

However, Tumulak said the damages and the dead animals in Barangays Buot-Taup and Malubog are yet to be assessed by the city agriculture department.

Tumulak said due to continuous downpour, a landslide occurred in Barangay Sudlon 1 and the interior rough road became slippery.

“In a very unusual situation, the residents in the hilly land barangays for several days and nights experienced extreme cold weather conditions resulting to deaths of some livestock and domestic animals, while destroying crops and other agricultural products like baguio beans, pechay, tomatoes, bell pepper which can no longer be sold, or if sold but in very low prices, thus affecting the livelihood of the mountain folks,” Tumulak said in a resolution declaring the upland barangays under state of calamity.

Tumulak also said a 17-year-old boy and a third year high school student in barangay Sudlon 1 collapsed due to the cold weather.

Sudlon 1 councilman Nicomedes Panaginip said the temperature is not longer tolerable. “Di na gyod ma-agwanta ang katugnaw sa panahon,” he said.

There are 31 mountain barangays both in north and south districts of the city.

“With the consistent and persistent threat of bigger landslides to happen, coupled with the warning from PAGASA that we may expect colder conditions in the coming days and nights until early Feb., the city government had to respond accordingly, promptly and without delay, otherwise lives may be lost and properties may further be destroyed and livelihood of the mountain folks extremely affected,” Tumulak said.

But Rama said “you cannot be declaring calamity if you don’t even know what the proportions are. Maybe, state of preparedness would be appropriate.”

Baclayon, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management office operations head Alvin Santillana, city veterinarian Pilar Romero, Department of Social Welfare and Services chief Ester Concha and other department heads had a meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss the weather phenomenon.

Tumulak said Romero will distribute vitamins and supplements for the animals as part of the disaster mitigation program.

He added that the city department heads will also conduct information campaign in hilly barangays on the danger of hypothermia, survival tactics, among others.

Evacuation in Gaas

Meanwhile, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7 of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recommended the evacuation of residents affected by landslides in Gaas, Balamban, Cebu.

Al Emil Berador, MGB-7 chief geologist, made the recommendation following the finding that the area where the landslide occurred is highly susceptible to another landslide.

The area includes the vicinity of Gaas Elementary School and a section along the Transcentral Highway.

MGB-7 director Loreto B. Alburo said that Gaas Elementary School must go as the area where it sits has been found to be within the direct path of the active landslides, which have been moving since Friday.

“The area has been rated before as high in our March 2, 2011 geohazards mapping and assessment with landslides threat advisories twice issued in March 24, 2011 and July 31, 2012 to the local government unit of Balamban,“ said Alburo in a statement sent to The Freeman.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported at least 60 families or 259 individuals were affected.

They were evacuated since Friday to Gaas National High School.

But PDRRMO chief Neil Angelo Sanchez asked the transfer of the evacuees from the school to the barangay sports complex after it found out that a portion of the school area had moved.

Sanchez supported the recommendation of the MGB to prohibit residents from returning to the affected areas.

The PDRRM Council is set to sit down today with the MGB authorities to tackle the matter.

As of yesterday, Sanchez reported 17 cows, a carabao, a goat and a horse died due to the landslide brought by heavy rains and winds since January 8.

On January 17, the barangay council of Gaas declared the entire barangay under a state of calamity.

This means the barangay could access its calamity fund for relief operation and to rehabilitate affected structures.

The local government unit of Balamban already provided food packs and water to the affected families.

Provincial Social Welfare and Development chief, Evelyn Senajon, said that they will be sending relief goods from the Capitol today.

These include blankets, mats, used clothing, bottled water and food packs good for three days.

Senajon said they will also send tents that can accommodate three to four families for those who have no relatives in the area.

The barangay hall and day care center are also being used as evacuation centers. – With Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/LPM (FREEMAN)