14 Baguio barangays located on sinkholes

BAGUIO CITY – As Typhoon Egay exited last week, 14 barangays were identified to be located in sinkholes and considered perilous during typhoons, a hazard map bared.

These are barangays Irisan, City Camp Central, Lower Rock Quarry, Pinget, Bakakeng Central, Dontogan, Sto. Tomas P

roper, Asin, Dominican Mirador, Lourdes Subd. Ext., San Roque Village, Middle Quezon Hill,  Quezon Hill Proper and Upper Quezon Hill.

Classes were suspended in Baguio and Benguet Monday at the height of the typhoon.

A Department of Education rule stipulates classes in kindergarten level will be suspended upon lowering of storm signal number 1. 

Storm signal number 2 means suspension of classes in kindergarten, elementary and high schools and signal number 3 would mean no classes in all levels.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan suspended classes in all levels Monday.

The mayor has the discretion of suspending classes in any level regardless of typhoon signals during bad weather that poses health and safety risks to students.  

Concerned offices were earlier advised to map out emergency measures in the event of massive devastation and the city’s isolation due to typhoons to ensure enough food supply, evacuation centers, effective rescue operations, infrastructure restoration and other needs.

The city engineer’s office has been tasked to prioritize the clean-up and de-clogging of waterways, drainage system and canals in various parts of the city with priority given to large drainages at the City Camp lagoon tunnel and San Roque drainage to avoid flooding.

The mayor urged the public to cooperate in maintaining the waterways after noting that that indiscriminate throwing of wastes remains cause of the clogging of the drainage openings and canals. 

Another contributory factor was illegal tapping by residents to the drainage system where wastewater from their septic tanks is directly disposed to the city’s drainage system instead of the sewerline. 

City environment and parks management officer Cordelia Lacsamana said they have determined some 375 residences illegally connected to the drainage system and more violators are expected to be identified as inspections continue.

The violators are issued notices and monitored until they have instituted remedial measures to correct the practice.

The mayor also urged residents living in landslide-prone and critical areas to exercise precaution and evacuate the area before calamity strikes for their own safety.