‘GROUND IS MOVING’

ILOILO City – The number of displaced people in the landslide-hit barangay of Igpigus in Igbaras, Iloilo could further increase. “Sige pa hulag sang duta (The ground is still moving),” said Mayor Vicente Escorpion Jr.

Barangay Igpigus would be placed under a state of calamity.

Such declaration would allow the barangay to use its calamity fund, said Escorpion.

The number of displaced villagers rose to 223 yesterday as incessant rains kept on loosening rocks and soil.

Igpigus is a mountainous village some 10 kilometers away from the town’s poblacion or center.

From an initial 12 houses that were buried under loose soil, mud and rocks on Saturday, the number of affected houses climbed to 47 on Monday. According to Escorpion, 18 of these houses were totally damaged.

Barangay Captain John Noe Tacan said their village council would be convening for the declaration of a state of calamity.

Barangay Igpigus has a population of 848 individuals belonging to 217 families living in 184 houses, said Escorpion.

The 223 displaced residents belonged to 61 families that lost houses. Some houses were home to several extended families, explained the mayor.

Last year, a crack on the ground that stretched to about a kilometer prompted the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to advise residents near it to move elsewhere.

Village officials wanted to convene at the soonest possible time but they were having difficulty gathering data, according to Tacan.

Aside from the landslide that struck the barangay on Saturday, the village was also suffering from a brownout.

The 61 displaced families were already more than the 20-percent population requirement to declare a state of calamity, said Escorpion.

But according to Tacan, the state of calamity declaration may be made on Aug. 11 yet as agreed by the barangay council members themselves.

Some displaced families sought temporary shelter at Igpigus Elementary School. Others stayed with relatives not affected by the landslide.

According to Escorpion, the displaced families won’t be allowed to return to their respective lands because it would be too risky.

Igbaras was one of the 10 municipalities in Iloilo that MGB in Western Visayas identified as prone to landslides. The nine other towns were Leon, Tubungan, Miag-ao, San Joaquin, Maasin, Janiuay, Calinog, Lambunao, and Alimodian.

The local government of Igbaras, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Philippine Red Cross have released relief goods to the affected residents.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, on the other hand, would be releasing financial assistance to the displaced./PN