Rain, unstable terrain make Davao de Oro rescue difficult

Rescuers at ground zero of the Maco, Davao de Oro landslide are experiencing difficulties in their operations due to the continuous rain and the terrain's instability.

According to GMA Regional TV One Mindanao Jestoni Jumamil's Friday 24 Oras report, the number of fatalities from the landslide climbed to 15, while the number of missing was estimated to be more than 100 individuals.

Despite this, a 3-year-old girl was successfully rescued at around 7 a.m. on Friday - two days after the landslide.

“Okay na siya dahil naka recover na siya. Ang problema na lang ang isa kong anak na-recover na daw pero patay na daw. Pero puntahan ko pa para malaman kung totoo ba. Ang nanay wala pa,” said the child’s father, Orlando Malacaste.

(She’s okay, she has recovered. My only problem is that my other child - she was found but was already dead. But I still have to check to see if it’s true. Their mother is still missing.)

According to Malacaste, they were eating dinner at the time of the landslide, and he was able to escape with his 8-year-old child.

Currently, the Maco Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office has no clear count of how many of the affected individuals were workers of the Apex Mining Corporation and residents of Barangay Masara.

“Continuing pa rin ang ating search, rescue and retrieval operation doon sa ating ground zero. We are still hoping kasi we have good news earlier with [the] one child survivor na nakuha natin sa area. We are still hopeful na may makuha tayong survivors,” said Maco MDRRMO Information Officer Jiesyl Mae Tan.

(The search, rescue, and retrieval operation at ground zero continues. We are still hoping because we had good news earlier with the one child survivor that we rescued from the area. We are still hopeful that we will rescue more survivors.)

“Medyo mahirap [para sa rescue team]. May portion kasi sa area na hindi lahat madali. Gagalaw ang kabilang bundok. Syempre susunod tayo sa protocol,” added rescuer and team leader Juber Lugas.

(The rescue team is finding it difficult. There are portions in the area that aren’t easy. The other mountain could move. Of course, we’ll have to follow the protocol.)

Meanwhile, the families of victims are still holding out hope that their relatives will be among those who will soon be rescued.

“Hindi talaga kami nawawalan ng Pagasa,” said Nestor, one of the victims’ relatives.

(We aren’t losing hope.) — Jiselle Casucian/DVM, GMA Integrated News