MATI CITY, DAVAO ORIENTAL –—The town Mayor of Banaybanay in this province wants a thorough review of mining documents and agreements signed by his predecessor as fifty families were evacuated on Tuesday, October 3, due to flashfloods.
Ian Lemuel Larcia, the mayor of Banaybanay told Newsline “I am still reviewing all the documents relative to the mining operations in five barangays here because the documents of the mining were processed when I was still a member of the provincial board.”
Larcia was referring to the operations of the Riverbend Consolidate Mining and ARC Nickle in Barangay Pintatagan which is currently exploring the hinterlands of barangays Mahayag, Maputi, Punta Linao, Puntalinao. Panikian and Causawagan.
The Tuesday incident was the second flashfloods which affected the village of Mapagba, which is a coastal village for the fisherfolks.
Rizza Marie Diola, a resident of the village said the floodwaters entered their house and they were soaked to a waist-deep brown water from the river.
“It happened so quick and we immediately left the house because the disaster office also asked us to evacuate as the water was still rising.
After two hours, the floodwater subsided but the residents were advised to stay overnight at the nearby evacuation center.
Larcia said he will schedule for a meeting with the mining officials “I need to talk to them and I want to see their documents to make sure that my constituents are safe and all the provisions of their agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are followed.’
The municipal government, Larcia said immediately send relief goods to the affected residents while Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon. also sent her team to provide assistance to the affected families.
Residents of the affected barangays noticed that after the mining operated in their town flashflood.-EZC
