AN ORDINANCE creating interim hazard management zones in the New Sanitary Landfill of Davao City in Barangay Carmen, Tugbok District, was passed on final reading on Tuesday.
Proponent Councilor Alberto Ungab said on Tuesday that the ordinance aims to prevent loss of lives and property.
“There are no more people living there. And we’re trying to control that they’re not going back there,” Ungab said during the Pulong Pulong sa Dabawenyos on Tuesday.
The councilor cited the trash slide accident on the old sanitary landfill last May 20 that left one person dead, two injured, and two others missing.
The Interim Hazard Management Zone Ordinance sets out seven zones: no build zone, no settlement, controlled access, buffer, monitoring, and a technical or monitoring sub-area.
Their boundaries would be set in Official Hazard Maps prepared by the CDRRMO with the City Planning and Development Office’s GIS division, the City Engineer’s Office, and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.
The maps would classify areas as extreme, high, moderate, or low hazard.
The CDRRMO would lead implementation, with a new Hazard Management Technical Working Group (HMTWG) reviewing the maps and recommending approval to the city mayor.
In a no-build zone, new construction, expansion, excavation, grading, quarrying, and similar work would need a written city authorization after technical evaluation. In a no-settlement zone, residential or land development is prohibited for the landfill.
Entry to controlled access and engineering intervention zones could be limited to authorized personnel, so tampering with monitoring equipment, drainage works, markers, or barriers is prohibited.
Meanwhile, the width and boundaries of a buffer zone shall be determined through site-specific hazard, engineering, environmental, and land-use assessments and shown on the official hazard maps, with its permitted, conditional, and prohibited activities.
The councilor reported that engineering works are ongoing, and the CDRRMO and the City Planning Office are also identifying areas still prone to landslides or erosion.
While the underlying geological hazards remain a long-term challenge due to steep terrain and environmental factors like dry spells and heavy rains, the councilor clarified that the restrictions are interim.
He maintained that displaced residents may only return once comprehensive slope stability evaluations confirm the area is entirely safe for habitation.
Based on initial data and technical assessments, full stabilization measures and safety declarations are projected to take a minimum of five years.
The councilor said prioritizing continuous engineering works and strict community relocation protocols is necessary to safeguard residents from potential mass-wasting events.
