Relocation

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is looking for the vacant lot in Balili barangay belonging to the Benguet State University as the possible relocation site for the families affected by the huge slide in sitio Little Kapangan in Puguis, La Trinidad during the onslaught of Typhoon Parma last Thursday.
The DENR Cordillera team tasked by President Arroyo to find relocation for the Typhoon Pepeng victims said that they are recommending a swap with the BSU for other areas in La Trinidad.
The team headed by OIC Augusto Lagon, also the regional technical director for forestry, said that the same site would have to be totally vacated.
"The area is highly critical and landslides could progress affecting houses within the vicinity area. It is not suitable for residential purposes," Lagon said.
Rescuers found 67 bodies in the slide and there are dozens still missing. DENR is still accounting how many houses were destroyed by the huge slide which had a huge chunk of the mountain turning into a river of mud.
DENR also said that the area was already assessed in 2005 as a high hazard site and the families were recommended to relocate.
Residents there however decided to stay and the area even proliferated.
Reynald Yawan, technical director for the Protected Areas and Wildlife Management Service, said that Little Kapangan shoudl be turned into a "green area" and soil erosion should be arrested with vegetation and structural measures and appropriate drainage system installed.
The DENR called for total abandonment in the once sprawling area.
Another area affected by Typhoon Parma which DENR recommended for total abandonment is sitio Luneta in Barangay Loakan in Itogon.
Three were killed and three missing due to slides from the recent typhoon. Forty-eight houses as well as the school and chapel were destroyed but the residents were evacuated beforehand.
DENR said that the area was already affected by a typhoon last year and was recommended by DENR to be totally vacated. During Typhoon Kiko last August, two slides occurred in the area resulting in the collapse of the school.
Also recommended for abandonment are six houses below the Halsema Highway in Ambassador, Tublay. The 28 families livign there are now evacuated at the Pontino Elementary School.