By Aldwin Quitasol
Indigenous people belonging to the Maeng Tribe
in Villaviciosa, Abra are starting new lives since they finished building
makeshift tents to serve as their new homes in the evacuation site where they
seek refuge not so far away from the land where they were born and grew up.
This, as residents of Bakun, Benguet were urged to relocate
after massive landslide occurred in
SitioBuagi where three houses were buried while no one was reported hurt in the
incident.
In Abra, Around 140 families or more than 700
individuals from Barangay Tamac, Villaviciosa had no choice but to leave
their
village and go to safer grounds on the last week of August until first week of
September days after a massive landslide buried around five hectares of their
rice fields and some houses on August 24. Village member Ariel Martez said
these prompted the people to gather their things and dismantle their houses to
get the materials to be used in building their new houses at the evacuation
site.
Rains brought by Typhoon “Ineng” last August
caused weakening of the mountain slopes where the farms of the tribe are
located.
On August 27 after the ground movement,
geological engineers of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Cordillera
conducted a geological survey together with the local government unit of
Villaviciosa.
According to the findings of the engineers,
there are huge soil cracks in the mountain slope just few hundred meters away
from the village below. They predict a possible larger ground movement
threatening to bury the entire village.
In Bakun earlier, as Typhoon Ineng exited the
country, a massive landslide occurred in Sitio Buagi.
The MGB then recommended the relocation of
affected residents to a more stable ground due to imminent danger. MGB also
recommended that the area be declared a danger or high risk zone.
“Residents should be informed about the
danger of the progressive landslide upslope and advised to evacuate every time
there are typhoons and prolonged heavy rains. Unstable areas upslope are being
utilized for agricultural activities and characterized by very thick soil
cover. The whole area is experiencing instabilities brought about by
progressive landslides,” as stated by MGB.
Martez said that the evacuees were given
immediate aid from the provincial government and the provincial chapter of Red
Cross. He said that the villagers were given tents however he added that they are
not waterproof. He said that they need tarpaulin sheets to shed them from
rains.
He said that many of the children in the
evacuation area are already suffering from coughs and colds and they lack
medicines. He also said that the pupils are now hard up as they lack school
supplies and their parents still cannot buy the necessities because of their
situation. He added that they badly need hoses to siphone potable water from
nearby sources as well as water tanks or containers, sleeping materials,
kitchen utensils and tents.
On Sept. 17, members of advocate groups led
by SulongKatribu and the United Church of Christ of the Philippines – Abra went
to the evacuation area and distributed relief goods and needed materials for
the temporary shelters.
“Nu kas-ano ay menrugi kasin si biag isna
“new” Barangay Tamac, ay tuan en tay back to zero nan kasasaad mi ita,” (We have
no idea how to start our new life here in our new barangay because we have to
start again from zero) Martez said. He appeals for more donations and aides in
behalf of his tribesmates.
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