DENR MGB-6 lectures in schools and warns of geohazards

Iloilo City  – “One of the priorities of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office No. 6 (MGB-6) this year is to increase further awareness on geologic hazards, particularly rain-induced landslides and flooding.  We also want to focus more on channeling this information through our schools,” says Regional Director. Leo Van V. Juguan, CESO V.

MGB-6 has been conducting lectures on geohazards.  Last March 23-24, 2015, Regional Director Leo Van V. Juguan lectured before hundreds of fourth year high school students in Balasan National High School and Cawayan National High School in Balasan and Carles, Iloilo.

RD Juguan said that earlier this year, his office also distributed information materials such as posters and video-documentaries on geohazards to different schools in northern Iloilo.

He said that he deemed the urgency to continuously talk about geohazards as a way of forewarning the public and to create an awareness that enables us to live with these risks and prepare for them the whole year round.

MGB has assessed and mapped the vulnerability of areas to geohazards.  “The geohazard map identifies the vulnerability of an area to flooding and landslides using the rating “very high”, “moderate,” “low” and “none,” RD Juguan explains.

In conducting lectures, we prioritize municipalities and cities which are very highly vulnerable to landslides and flooding as identified in the geohazard map.  RD Juguan also added that areas which were affected the worst by the Yolanda super-typhoon are also considered priority areas, RD added.

The schools are effective channels of information given the large number of students who can echo the information to their families and neighborhood.   With the efforts to make this information accessible, we believe we are gaining ground in creating a more vigilant attitude in our people especially those living in vulnerable areas and for them to be more ready and willing to evacuate or even relocate when the situation demands because of these hazards, Juguan concluded.  (LAA, MGB-6)

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