PDRMMO hoping to find 'more survivors' in Davao de Oro landslide

Davao de Oro's Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) is hoping to find more survivors in the Maco landslide following the rescue of a three-year-old girl on Friday.

"Yesterday we were still able to respond and rescue yung bata dun sa rubble. So, we are still hoping a lot of people are still alive," said PDRRMO head Joseph Randy Loy in a briefing on Saturday.

Earlier, the province's Communications and Public Information office said that the search and rescue operation was extended for 48 hours. 

"After 48 hours we still consider it search, rescue, and retrieval because at this point in time there were concerns in the area na kailangang nating i-consider," Loy explained.

"It's dealing more on saving more lives, anticipating na marami pang buhay dun sa area and being able to respond to them and bring them to the nearest hospitals," he added. 

The landslide happened on Tuesday night outside a gold mining site, burying homes, including three buses and a jeep that were supposed to ferry employees of the mining company.

Loy said the chances of finding more survivors will depend on the kind of situation they are currently in.

"Chances of survival we cannot really guarantee. There are these so-called "pockets" within these rubbles that will allow them to breathe," he said. 

"As to the extent of how long this oxygen will be able to supply them, depende kasi sa sitwasyon na andun na nasa ilalim."

The death toll in the landslide that hit Maco, Davao de Oro earlier this week has reached 27. Meanwhile, 32 persons were injured and 89 individuals are still missing as of February 9.  —VAL, GMA Integrated News