Ifugao after deadly storms; a situationer

By Aginaya Dinumla-Cabanayan

The geographical location of the Province of Ifugao makes it highly vulnerable to natural hazards and human-induced hazards. The province is particularly susceptible to the harsh effects of tropical cyclones and complex weather systems resulting to landslides, mudslides and flash floods.

Based on the Climate Map of the Philippines published by PAG-ASA in August 1992, the climate of Ifugao falls under the first and third climate types. Type I, which affects the western part of the province, is June to November.

Type III, which affects a major portion of the eastern part of the province, is characterized by not very pronounced maximum rain period, with a short dry season lasting only from one to three months.

The hottest months are March and April while the coolest months are November up to February. Ifugao ranks No. 1 among the top ten provinces at risk to landslides. Severe erosion is a major problem in the province.

About 37 percent or 96,860 hectares are severely prone to erosion and 19 percent or 48,893 hectares are moderately-prone to erosion. In total, more than half of the province’s land area (56%) has problems on erosion.

These areas are predominant in Aguinaldo, Mayoyao, Lagawe, Hingyon, Banaue, Hungduan, Tinoc, Alfonso Lista and Lamut. Many typhoons in the past years have brought about great damages to lives and properties in the province. In 2008, a landslide at Pitawan during typhoon “Hana” buried alive at least eight people, and in 2009, landslides due to Typhoon “Emong” caused the loss of lives of 16 people and injuries to 19 and millions of damages in terms of properties and infrastructures.

Furthermore, the presence of “digdig” fault lines that cuts across at least four municipalities in the province already makes it exposed to high vulnerability.

There are other faults located within the 200-km radius and these are the Abra River Fault, the Divalacan Fault, the Addalam Fault in Nueva Vizcaya and the San Jose Fault. All of these can generate a strong-to-moderate effect that could put the whole province very vulnerable to landslides and liquefaction whenever there is ground shaking due to occurrence of earthquakes.

Sept. 27 was characterized by some of the most difficult challenges faced by Ifugao as a province, but it was also a situation when the best in the Ifugao people – resilience and strength in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds – came to fore.

Ifugao was struck by twin typhoons Pedring and Quiel making the under a state of calamity causing the kind of human and material devastation that few have seen in a very long time.

The destruction wrought: 112 barangays affected with 2,447 families.

Both typhoons affected 12, 590 persons (male- 6,249, female- 6, 345).

Totally damaged houses were 143 while 2, 227 were partially damaged. The typhoons also claimed four lives and injured 22 persons.

The typhoons also left 124 families (male-302, female-395) and housed in eight evacuation centers in three towns.

These included San Fernando Elementary School, Evangelical Churches, Good News Annex, Vicepoint and Justice Hall in Banaue; Salamague Day Care Center, Panopdopan Barangay Hall, IFSU Nayon in Lamut and hapaoElementrary School in Hungduan.

There were 2, 447 families affected province-wide with Banaue highest with 827 families followed by Lamut with 444, Mayoyao with 256 followed by Asipulo at 173 .

Kiangan came next with 126, Hingyon with 121 and Aguinaldo with 81.

Hungduan had 69 followed by Alfonso Lista with 59 while the least affected was Tinoc with 46.
As of Friday, the province was still isolated after the Burnay Bridge located in Tungngod, Lagawe, collapsed at about 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 27.

The bridge is the main thoroughfare connecting the province to adjacent provinces. Other neighboring provinces of Mountain Province and Benguet were also closed due to landslides.

The Dugong Bridge was still closed to all commuters as of Friday.

An alternate route, the Cudog-Mungayang-Kiangan road, was currently being used for light vehicles. -- (AginayaDinumla-Cabanayan is a Social Welfare officer of Ifugao—ed.)