Metro Manila, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on local government units to strictly enforce laws on no-build zones and land-use planning even as the number of deaths from recent heavy rainfall came from landslide-prone areas that were turned into settlements.
The agency cited the president’s directive to reinforce preemptive measures to minimize deaths, with rainfall volume from the southwest monsoon at record levels in areas in Luzon and the Visayas.
On Sept. 6, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported 43 deaths since early August, of which 15 were from landslides.
Among these were the 10 people killed in the massive landslide at Guisad Surong in Baguio City on Aug. 9. The local government said the disaster area was a no-build zone.
Relevant laws
The DILG pointed out the need for strict compliance and enforcement by local governments of relevant laws such as the National Building Code of the Philippines and the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act.
The building code states that sites and buildings for human settlement must be at a safe distance from hazardous zones, such as streams and landslide-prone areas.
The disaster management law provides a framework for risk management and measures.
The DILG also urged local leaders to protect their communities since “public safety must take precedence over political considerations.”
