Another Arayat landslide feared

BY: Joel P. Mapiles


ARAYAT, Pamp. – Landslide-affected families in this town fear that the fast approaching rainy season may trigger yet another mud slide in their relocation site at the Arayat National Park, which is only a few meters away from the original landslide site.

The village folks expressed alarm because their tent site is located within the danger zone declared by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

It can be recalled that 12 individuals died and a total of 78 houses were totally wrecked due to what they called as a “man-made” landslide which the village folks blamed on the alleged illegal mining activity at the upper level of the mountains.

Reports show that the local government under the leadership of incumbent Mayor Luis “Chito” Espino has given P150,000 financial assistance to the surviving families of those who died in the tragedy.

This, aside from the P10,000 provided by the President which she took from the President’s social fund.

But affected folks lamented that up to now, they have yet to receive the promised livelihood assistance promised to them by government authorities.

It can be recalled that 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales and the town’s local officials in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development has committed for the establishment of a relocation site outside the landslide danger zone.

However, in spite of the reported millions of pesos in allocation, the beleaguered families are still living within the danger zone under their makeshift tents given by non-government organizations.

Talks about their resettlement took place last year in cooperation with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to approve and determine whether the several proposed sites are within the danger zone or not.

But up to this time, the affected families said they are living in despair under their tents. Emily Manalili, a local, said they have been living in misery for several months now.

“An individual tent is occupied by more or less two families,” she said in the dialect.

Manalili also said they have no comfort rooms to answer the “call of nature”, forcing them to throw their “excesses” in their surroundings.

“Makalunus pu ing kabilyan mi keni, sana malunus la reng keka tang manungkulan,” Manalili said.

A village folk who introduced herself as Aling Rosita, 70, revealed that the government has given them P10,000 for each family as initial assistance.

She said up to this time, however, they have been no developments about the proposed resettlement project.