BACOLOD CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Negros Occidental provincial government are urged to conduct a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the root causes of landslides at Mt. Kanlaon and flashfloods at downstream communities, including the potential roles of illegal logging, quarrying operations, and issuance of permits within the protected area.
In an open letter issued by LC Outdoors Mountaineering Club and allied organizations, the concerned residents of LaCastellana and neighboring towns and cities called for immediate and decisive action in connection with recurring and devastating flash floods and landslides originating from Mt. Kanlaon.
Recent events have demonstrated the severe vulnerability of our communities, they said, noting that the accumulation of volcanic sediment on the slopes, uprooted trees, and stones, when combined with heavy rainfall creates dangerous mudflow that sweeps down rivers, destroying property, farmland, and posing an extreme risk to human life.
In Negros Occidental alone, the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council pegged the damage to agriculture and infrastructure at almost P2 billion, with about 70 people killed.
The group also called for strict enforcement of environmental regulations within the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), stressing that the preservation and restoration of vegetation on the hillsides are essential, to bind the soil and act as a natural barrier against erosion.
They also recommended the assessment and improvement of existing infrastructure, especially drainage channels and river systems, to ensure they can manage high-volume flow of water and debris, strengthening early warning systems, actionable evacuation plans for residents in high-risk, low-lying areas, and mountain slopes, and allocation of resources for disaster response and recovery.
The safety and well-being of the people of Bago City, La Castellana, La Carlota in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, depend on proactive governance and sustainable environmental management, they further said. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)