Baguio City (CNN Philippines) — Two permanent relocation sites have been identified for families affected by a sinkhole in Barangay Virac in Itogon, Benguet.
The sinkhole swallowed a boarding house and destroyed several other houses on October last year, following the onslaught of Typhoon Lando (international name: Koppu).
The affected area sits above an old tunnel of the Benguet Corp.
Read: Sinkhole engulfs houses in Itogon, Benguet
The company announced the availability of lots adjacent to the same village, through a letter addressed to Regional Director Fay Apil of the Cordillera Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
In the letter, the company’s Resident Manager Antonio Buenavista said it is part of their corporate social commitment and responsibility.
The company invited the MGB to conduct a geological study over the two proposed relocation sites measuring 3,448.73 and 4,292.61 square meters “to avoid occurrence of similar tragedy in the future.”
If found fit as a residential area, the lots will be the subject of a request to MGB to extract the area from the mineral claims of the company.
The lots will be subsequently awarded to the affected residents through the local government unit and concerned government agencies.
