DENR to LGUs: Implement geohazard maps

Environment officials in the Central Visayas are calling on local chief executives to use geohazard maps for disaster management, as it announced the completion of the release of those maps for all local government units.

According to Ma. Elena Lupo, supervising geologist of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 7 (DENR-7), it is now up to the mayors and barangay captains to put these into use as reference for their disaster risk-reduction management program.

“We are already done with all the landslide and flood hazard maps of local government units (LGUs) down to the barangay level in Region 7, and we call on them to use these for disaster mitigation other than their Comprehensive Land Use Plan,” Lupo said.

These maps are already detailed in the 1:1000 scales. “The 1:10000 scales are more accurate and specific compared with the 1:50000 scales we released in 2014,” Lupo said.

Meanwhile, Al Emil Berador, chief geologist of MGB-7, said they are also starting with the Coastal and Subsidence Coastal Mapping.

Coastal geohazard mapping include close assessment of terrains and land formations within the coasts, while subsidence maps determines presence and degrees of sinkholes.

At press time, MGB-7 already made IEC activities in 375 barangays in the municipalities, including the nine Typhoon Yolanda-affected towns in Cebu. IEC includes the exit conference and the distribution of collateral, such as brochures, posters and videos.

In 2010, President Aquino signed into law the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, which include the conduct and completion of hazard maps in all LGUs.

The geohazard maps are now accessible and downloadable from the website of the DENR (www.denr.gov.ph), the MGB (www.mgb.gov.ph), the Philippine Information Agency (www.pia.gov.ph), and Environmental Science for Social Change (www.essc.org.ph).