The Barangay officials of Masara led by chairman Douglas Dumalagan Jr. in collaboration with Apex Mining and Mines and Geosciences Bureau 11 (MGB 11) is looking for a relocation site within Barangay Masara for the families affected by the deadly landslide in Zone 1 Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro, according to an official.
Management of the Dead and Missing (MDM) cluster head Lea Añora said on behalf of the Department of Interior and Local Government 11 (DILG 11) in a media briefing on Masara landslide incident on Thursday that the relocation site will be inspected by the MGB 11 to ensure that it is safe for the residents.
“The punong barangay of Masara is looking for a location for the relocation site which will be inspected by MGB, if it is approved sa kanila that the site is safe then the relocation will start immediately because meron na yang mandate na gawin as soon as possible para wala tayong displaced na mga families and individuals. The relocation site will be within the AOR of Masara pa rin. Maghahanap lang kung saan yung safer na location,” Añora said.
Añora said the barangay site of Masara will be transferred once the relocation site is approved.
“Ongoing ang paghahanap nila Kap together with Apex Mining, LGU, and MGB kung saan ang safer area for relocation site. Hopefully, for permanent na yun,” she said.
Response Cluster Resource Center Camp manager Joel Penido reported that as of Thursday there are 12 evacuation centers located at the different barangays that temporarily housed a total of 1,497 families and a total of 5, 349 individuals.
“Pino-provide natin yung agahan, tanghalian at hapunan nila,” he said.
Penido also appealed to all international and local donors, groups, or individuals who want to donate to register at Nuevo Iloco High School for proper management of the provision of various aids to the evacuees.
Engineer Ariel Capoy of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) – Maco said that they were conducting retrieval operations and hoping that they would retrieve the remaining bodies.
“Our goal is to makuha lahat ng na trapped na bodies,” he said.
