Studies not conclusive on cause of subsidence:House probe on sinking of Benguet town sought

By Dexter A. See

MANKAYAN, Benguet — The House of Representatives should investigate the failure of concerned government agencies and independent private groups to pinpoint the cause of the continuous sinking of a portion of the Poblacion here.

Benguet Rep. Samuel M. Dangwa bared this in the capital town on La Trinidad saying the House committees on cultural communities, environment, and economic affairs are being asked to conduct an investigation on the sinking of an area in the mineral-rich town of Mankayan.

The investigation, Dangwa said, would identify the people responsible for the subsidence that has imperiled thousands of residents.

The congressman noted that the reports of the University of the Philippines-National Institute of Geological Sciences and Mines and Geosciences Bureau are not conclusive on what is the cause of the continuous subsidence on Aurora St., Poblacion, Mankayan.

Militant groups in the province have blamed the underground mining activities for the life-threatening subsidence, but results of the studies conducted by the UP-NIGS and MGB indicated that natural and man-made factors are the causes of the sinking.

Dangwa appealed to concerned agencies not to engage in fault-finding and instead work on immediate solution of the problem.

At the same time, he said, the House investigation would also serve as a venue for local leaders to lobby for funds badly needed for the relocation of the affected families.

In related development, officials of the Mankayan National High School, one of the public structures affected by the subsidence, said the school is set to evacuate at the first hint of eminent danger.

The worsening subsidence forced the school administration to arrange with the Lepanto High School to accommodate the thousands of students and pupils who would be displaced once the buildings are seriously damaged and declared unfit for occupancy.

The Cordillera MGB office has recommended the declaration of a 10-hectare area in Poblacion a danger zone.

With the declaration, MGB said, all public and private structures in the area should be abandoned.

Dangwa appealed to all sectors in the town to keep themselves abreast with the latest developments in the subsidence area so that they would be guided of what to do in case of emergency.