2 upland villages in Kalamansig, isolated, 2,000 residents trapped
Local News • 18:47 PM Tue Nov 8, 2016
927
By:
Edwin Fernandez
Kalamansig Mayor Ronan Garcia (in jacket) listens to flood victim. Meyor, gianod ang akon balay. Ginagutom na ang asawa ko kag apo didto. Tabangi man kami... Tay, mas kusgan gid ang Ginoo sa aton...pero kaya ta'ni. Magtinabangay kita.
COTABATO CITY – At least 2,000 residents of two upland village
here are trapped and remained isolated following landslides triggered by flash
floods Sunday, officials said today.
We are trying to reach two upland barangays, isolated and people are
begging for food, Kalamansig Mayor Ronan Garcia told and//www.ndbcnews.com.ph www.ndbcnews.com.ph .
It is impossible to reach the upland villages because of mud and roads
turned into rivers, he said, adding that even by horse our relief workers
could not reach Barangay Hinalaan.
During Monday’s relief operation, personnel of the town’s disaster risk
reduction and management council (MDRRMC) could only reach up to Purok 4 of
Barangay Hinalaan, about 6 kilometers from the village center.
About 100 residents, mostly men, met our relief team Monday in Purok 4 to
fetch food packs, Garcia said. Only males are capable of walking six kilometers
of mud to reach the lowland area, women and elders remained in their homes,
waiting for food.
It was a trek I never imagined, Garcia said. Our relief team was reluctant to go back due
to dangerous and muddy trail but we have to so that food and water are
delivered, he added.
Can't hold my tears after hearing the stories and seeing the suffering
of my people, he said. Local residents related to me that at least 3 people were saved when their Kalakat house was swept by flash flood by clinging hard on malunggay (Moringa) trees in their yard, Garcia said.
Barangays Sabanal and Datu Wasay could not be reached because the
workers have to pass by Barangay Hinalaan which to date is not passable before
reaching the two villages.
Hinalaan was hardest hit when an overnight downpour Saturday triggered
by inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ).
The Limulan River that emanates from Hinalaan overflowed and destroyed
about 35 houses and destroyed crops.
We recorded 11 landslides in the roads leading to the two upland barangays,
these communities have been isolated since Sunday, Garcia said, adding the
area can only be reached for now through helicopters.
We sought the help of the military helicopters, we are waiting for
response, he said. sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14956037_10210074523075335_1583152239921371101_n.jpg?oh=aa0ea44cb40ad329fb314bb7a78821c5andampoe=58C6DFC0 In the meantime, we
are trying to reach the isolated communities.
About 5,000 families in six villages have been affected by natural
calamity, landslides and flash floods, the worst to hit in Kalamansig’s upland communities,
current site of logging operations of Consunji logging firm and Magsaysay
Logging Company the past two decades.
This is the effect of logging the past decades, logging should be
banned, Diagro Baya, a resident of Kalamansig said. The government should revoke
permits issued to Consunji logging firm, he added.
Consunji logging firm has been operating in upland villages of
Kalamansig despite opposition from Indigenous Peoples and environmentalists. sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/15027606_10210074522955332_7278163288928771452_n.jpg?oh=54a57db2660445a353943a55fc6a32cbandampoe=588FEC65 sand//scontent.fmnl4-3.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14915711_10210064750911037_5399555172875606776_n.jpg?oh=e632713ff8329b1e84651ca35029a7e6andampoe=58D42629