A total of 18 municipalities covering 278 barangays in Region 2 and Region 4A have been covered by geohazard mapping as of the end of March 2007, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Antonio Apostol, DENR geohazard mapping project leader, said the mapping activity in the two regions forms part of the total of 250 municipalities targeted to be covered by the project for this year.

In Nueva Vizcaya province, municipalities covered by the project include Bagabag, Diadi, Quezon, Dupax del Norte and Dupax del Sur.

In Isabela province, municipalities covered are San Agustin, Cordon and Jones while in Quirino province, the municipalities of Aglipay Cabarroquiz, Diffun, Maddela, Nagtipunan and Saguday were also finished.

In the province of Rizal, the municipalities of Pililia and Jala-jala were covered while in the province of Laguna, the municipalities of Mabitac and Famy were also covered.

Apostol said one geohazard team was sent to Nueva Ecija, Isabela and Quirino to conduct the geohazard mapping because majority of the areas in those provinces are prone to landslides due to their generally mountainous topography.

Another team was also sent to conduct geohazard mapping in the flood-prone provinces of Rizal and Laguna due to their proximity to Laguna de Bay.

Apostol said the teams are expected to finish the geohazard mapping activities in the concerned provinces by the end of April. The DENR had mounted the geohazard mapping to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters like landslides and floods. (DENR-PAO)

Apr. 16, 2007