Campo 4, Talisay road closed

TRUCKS, private cars  and  vans for hire  (V-Hire) going to and from Toledo City are temporarily banned from taking the access road in barangay Campo 4 in Talisay City, an official said.

“Exempted are those coming from neighboring barangays of Sinsin and others since it is impractical for them to take Naga-Oling road,” said Talisay city spokesman  Arturo Bas.

This step aims to regulate  vehicles passing the landslide-prone area, said Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez.

This was decided in a meeting  on Monday between  city officials, contractor QM builders and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The contractor and DPWH promised to apply concrete on the landslide-prone slopes  of the mountain barangay in Talisay City.

Barangay Campo 4 captain Jun Cabatingan who brought up the  busted water system caused by passing heavy equipment was assured by the contractor they would restor water supply, said Bas.

It was also agreed in the presence of the Camp 4 barangay council that residents in the site won’t be forced to  permanently leave the area.

While the road widening is ongoing and the risk of landslides and rock fall are still being addressed, residents were asked to  sleep in the barangay hall or  in homes of their relatives.

Authorities, however,  said they are not abandoning the idea of permanent evacuation.

At least six episodes of landslides and rock falls have hit the area in the last two weeks.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau-7 (MGB) warned that  these incidents would recur since monsoon rains have left the soil unstable.

The MGB recommended the evacuation of at least 10 households directly threatened by landslides./Correspondent Jessa J. Agua