Apex Mining Company vowed to continue assisting the local government unit (LGU) of the Maco, Davao de Oro in managing the after-effects of the Masara landslide.
Municipality of Maco Mayor Arthur Carlos Voltaire Rimando terminated the search and retrieval operations of the Masara landslide on Thursday, February 22, 2024, through Executive Order No. 17 series of 2024.
In a statement issued on Friday, Apex Mining stated that its president and CEO Luis R. Sarmiento reiterated that the company will be the last ones out of ground zero. It also said that the company was among the first at the scene when the landslide happened early evening of February 6, 2024.
Apex Mining said its rescue equipment, manpower, and other resources such as backhoe, dump truck, surface loader, ERTs, and Security Rescue Teams remain at the ground zero to help in the clearing operations.
It also said that the Apex Welfare Desk Helpline stationed at the Nuevo Iloco National High School in Mawab continues assisting the affected residents by helping them get information on their missing loved ones.
The company said it conducted a second round of medical missions in all the evacuation centers in Nuevo Iloco Elementary School, Nuevo Iloco National HS, Nueva Barangay Gym, Andili National HS, ICQP Elizalde ES, Elizalde, EC Patatag, Lorenzo High School, Biucadan Tribal Hall, Assembly of God, Andili and Mawab Central on February 21, 2024.
It also announced that the follow-up to the debriefing and counseling services to the community residents on February 24 and 25 by the Hiraya-Diwa Psychological Services – Tagum Doctors College is also being set.
Since the landslide, the company said it has been providing food packs, drinking water, and medical services to the affected communities.
Apex Mining mentioned that other mining companies like Sagittarius Mines, Silangan and Surigao-based Taganito, Cagdianao, and Hinatuan Mines, and industry players have been supporting with donations of food and other essentials as well as deployment of emergency response teams and GPR (ground penetrating radar).
Apex Mining said that it has been on limited operations as it has been helping the local government with clearing operations and repair of critical infrastructure like roads and bridges.
The search and rescue operations of the Incident Management Team (IMT) started on February 7, 2024, with search, rescue, and retrieval teams from Davao de Oro and other neighboring provinces.
Rimando stated in his EO that after thorough assessment and evaluation and recommendation from the IMT, search and retrieval operations at the landslide site commenced on February 14, 2024.
As of February 22, 2024, the incident commanders through operations section-search and retrieval operations reported the completion of retrieval and debris clearing at ground zero, covering the whole landslide area until its ground level.
