Residents of Sitio Tawagan Dos, Barangay Sirao, clear the road of mud after last Thursday’s quake. (CDN PHOTO/ TONEE DESPOJO)
Despite warnings of landslides that may hit their area due to the rains, some residents of Barangay Sirao, Cebu City, refused to leave their homes for safety.
Marlyn Sibunghanoy said she cannot leave her home in Sitio Tawagan Dos since she and her family had nowhere to go.
“It’s the only place we live. And we cannot just easily give up our house,” Sibunghanoy said in Cebuano.
Last Friday Nagiel Bañacia, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) chief, advised residents to leave their homes lest they be buried by landslides due to last Thursday’s earthquake and the rains.
He said the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau (MGB) previously recommended that the area should be vacated due to the danger it poses to residents.
Sibunghanoy said the road leading to their homes is inaccessible due to the rocks blocking it.
Residents were kept busy clearing their area of rocks.
“Halos kada semana mi manglimpyo sa dalan aron lang maagian kay sige man sad og irog ang yuta,” (We keep on cleaning the road every week in order for us to pass because soil keeps moving),” Sibunghanoy said.
Sirao Barangay Chairman Felix Limotan said 130 families of Sitios Tawagan Dos, Langub, Sirao proper and Kan-Irag in the barangay are affected by the constant movement of soil since early this year.
He said he also understands his constituents since they have nowhere to go.
The threat of landslides didn’t deter tourists from visiting the Sirao Flower Farm.
“Nothing happened or any landslide (when an earthquake hit Visayas) hit the place. In fact, a lot of international visitors (went to the flower farm),” said the farm’s owner Maria Elena Sy-Chua.