The Mines and Geosciences Bureau - SOCCSKSARGEN (MGB-12) has urged residents living in landslide-prone areas identified in its hazard map to be vigilant this rainy season.

According to MGB-12, these areas include Barangay Conel in General Santos City; Tampakan, T’boli, Lake Sebu, and some areas in Koronadal City in South Cotabato; Glan, Sarangani; and other upland areas in the region.

“Kasi once yung areas may mga cracks na yan, or may mga old landslides na yan they are very unstable kasi nga exposed na sila sa weathering na tinatawag. Yung exposed sila sa sunlight, ulan. Mas madaling nabubulok yung mga rocks and soil, nabubulok din yan sila so nag we-weaken yung structure nila,” MGB-12 Supervising Geologist, Vincent Gascal, said.

MGB-12 has monitored the old landslide that happened in Barangay Danlag and Barangay Pula-Bato in Tampakan, South Cotabato, which reactivated, reportedly. The last landslide that happened in the area was in 1980s.

The agency has reminded the local government of Tampakan on what to do, especially this rainy season.

“May mga landslide areas doon na malaki na siya around 1980s pa daw yun. Always namin nire-remind yung Tampakan government na i-monitor nila... and they are complying kasi nga every time na malakas ang ulan, nag i-erode siya although hindi malaki ang landslide but nag i-erode siya. ‘Yun, pag old na siya na landslide, it can still reactivate,” Gascal said.

MGB-12 is also monitoring several areas in the region where landslide occurred due to earthquake in 2023 such as in Glan, Sarangani where a tremor hit Barangay Mudan and huge cracks on the ground were seen.

“Yung areas na yun lalo na sa mountainous areas kasi medyo soft ang soil composition nila don kaya mas madali magkaroon ng landslide. Sinasabi namin sa LGUs na bantayan kasi hindi pa yan totally bumigay, pwede pa yang bumigay kung may series of rainfall events na medyo malakas,” Gascal said.

The Office of the Civil Defense-12 has also mapped out its contingency plan during emergency situations caused by floods and landslides.

“I-disseminate na natin sa lahat ng local DRRM…mag-activate na po yung EOC and then naka standby na ang kanilang response unit at facilities na gagamitin in case na magkaroon ng incident ng flooding at landslide hanggang sa barangay level po yan,” OCD-12 DRRM Division Chief, Jerome Barranco, said.