2 upland areas in Pampanga declared as ‘no habitation zone’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- At least two upland areas in this province were placed under a “no habitation zone” based on the assessment conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB).

Noel Lacadin, chief of the geosciences division of MGB 3 (Central Luzon) here, said Tuesday that Sitio Tagak, Barangay Nabuclod in Floridablanca town and Barangay Dias in Porac town were placed under a “no habitation zone” due to their “high susceptibility” to landslides.

These areas are host to Aeta settlements and their ancestral lands.  The assessment was conducted before the election.

Lacadin said advisories on landslide and geohazard threats were already given to the respective barangay officials and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officers of the concerned areas for immediate action and compliance.

“We are not depriving the Aetas of their right to stay in their ancestral lands. We reminded them that those areas were identified as a no habitation zone, but they can still be used for cultivation,” he said.

Governor Lilia Pineda has personally asked the MGB to conduct ground assessment to determine the condition of the Aeta community settlements in those upland areas.

“We should know the state of our lands in the province so that we would know what immediate actions can be done,” she said.

It can be recalled that Aetas living in the upland villages in Floridablanca and Porac were displaced by the recent April 22 earthquake.

Vice Governor Dennis Pineda, meanwhile, said that he has already tapped the National Housing Authority, other partner agencies, the private sector, and stakeholders to help construct an evacuation site for the Aetas. (PNA)

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https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1070388
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