Major parts of Iloilo City are sinking, study says
BACOLOD Philippines – Three boroughs, forming major parts of Iloilo City are now at risk—their grounds are sinking every year.
These include the densely populated Molo, La Paz, and Mandurriao areas, which are a total of 68 out of the 180 barangays in the entire city.
A study from the University of the Philippine’s National Operational Assessment of Hazards (NOAH) Center revealed on Sunday, August 25, that Molo, La Paz, and Mandurriao are sinking at a land subsidence rate of 8 to 9 millimeters every year.
The study, conducted from 2014 to 20220, employed a satellite technology known as Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) focused on theground receding in the major metropolitan cities in the country.
And the result was “quite alarming” for Iloilo City, known as the proverbial melting pot of Western Visayas.
Molo known for rapid land developments right now is comprised of 25 barangays.
La Paz has another 25 villages.
While Mandurriao, dubbed as a center of robust trade and commerce, has 18 barangays. It is home to major business developments courtesy of Ayala, Megaworld Corporation, Filinvest and SM.
Based on the 2020 Census of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Molo, being the second most populous borough next to Jaro, has 76,393 people followed by La Paz with 68,952 and Mandurriao with 62, 240.
The UP NOAH Center said the annual land subsidence, or the rate it recedes, endangers infrastructure facilities in these three major parts of Iloilo City.
Such may even result to tidal floodings within the city proper.
Cited as contributors to this land subsidence report included the excessive groundwater extraction, urban development, and the natural compaction of deltaic sediments.
Raul Fernandez, director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD 6) in Western Visayas, told Rappler on Monday, August 26, that they needed to get a copy of UP NOAH Center.
But, for the meantime, OCD 6 is now closely coordinating with the city government of Iloilo for whatever assistance the national government could provide to address the impact of the hazard.
“I believe the city disaster risk reduction and management office has considered the subsidence phenomenon in the formulation of the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), Comprehensive Development an (CDP) and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan LDRRMP, ” Fernandez said. He added:” We will look into this.”
Mayor Jerry Treñas already asked a copy of the UP NOAH Center report for an in-depth analysis and discussion with the department heads of the city, among other agencies concerned, Jeck Conlu, head of the city’s public safety office.
In 2019, there was also a study by Climate Central, a science organization based in New Jersey, USA , saying Iloilo City was in danger to be erased from the map of Western Visayas in 2050 due to the rising seas.
Climate Central’s study had already been published in the Journal Nature Communications in November 2019.
That time of the release of Climate Central report, Treñas’ simple reaction, as published in Panay News, was to refer the matter to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).
Rappler has tried to reach out newly designated MGB Western Visayas director, Cecil Ochavo, but as of this posting she has not responded yet.
Meanwhile, it was not clear yet whether the recent UP NOAH Center and Climate Central reports have something to do with the controversial P680 million Ungka flyover in Jaro area, which was reportedly sinking too.
The four-lane Ungka flyover is currently being undergoing structural interventions by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Region 6.
Right now, only the two inner lanes of the controversial flyover are passable.
Asked for comment, Sanny Boy Oropel, DPWH Western Visayas director, said though they respect the UP NOAH Center’s claim that Iloilo City is sinking, still he assured Ilonggos that all their infrastructure projects within the city and across the region are being built that could really withstand any natural calamities. – Rappler.com