By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
BACOLOD City – Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo yesterday confirmed that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) will visit the town to conduct a survey and study the ground cracks in Sitio Manaol, Barangay Quintin Remo.
According to Yulo, she has not allowed the 18 families residing in the area to return to their respective homes, fearing the rains could trigger a landslide.
However, she did allow visiting the area for residents who were tending their crops as well as the livestock they left behind.
The Department of Education, meanwhile, has provided educational assistance to the children of the affected families.
“Mahulat gid kami, it’s better safe than sorry,” the mayor said.
According to a copy of the email furnished by both the MGB and Phivolcs to the town mayor, they said they would conduct their visits and studies from September 26 to 30.
Last month, Reynald Horegue, head of the Moises Padilla Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said they received a report from local residents that they found large cracks on the ground and soil erosion.
Horeque said they inspected the area and decided to evacuate the families living nearby.
Town authorities are currently suspecting that the cracks found in the area were caused by a fault line./PN
