“Our hardworking quick response teams – unsung heroes for site-responsive actions as first road responders during calamities are encouraged to be more watchful and intensify precautionary measures.”
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar made the statement, following a tragic landslide incident which buried four members of the DPWH Ifugao 2nd District Engineering Office Quick Response Team while clearing a blocked road in Ifugao Province.
“It is with a heavy heart to confirm that two workers – a driver and a laborer – were retrieved dead, and two engineers who are still missing were among those buried by a landslide at Sitio Nabito, Viewpoint, Banaue, Ifugao at 5:40 pm Thursday, November 12, 2020,” Villar said.
According to a report from DPWH Cordillera Administrative Region Office, the two recovered bodies from the landslide incident triggered by the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses were identified as that of driver Joel Chur-ig and laborer John Duclog.
Search, rescue and retrieval operations by DPWH together with the Ifugao Provincial Mobile Force Company, Philippine National Police Banaue, Regional Mobile Force Battalion, Bureau of Fire Protection, Provincial & Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, 54th Infantry Brigade and other volunteers are exerting all efforts to locate the missing two other members of the deployed team namely Engineers John Limoh and Julius Gulayan.
Another member of the DPWH Quick Response Team identified as laborer Jacob Guinyang luckily escaped unharmed when the disaster happened since he was at the other side of the road after receiving an instruction to check their equipment and buy some food.
“The five-man team moved from Banaue Satellite Office at around 2:00 pm, November 12, 2020, after verifying earlier received reports of numerous slides along Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mt. Province Road.”
According to the public works chief, the five-man team moved from Banaue Satellite Office at around 2:00 pm, November 12, 2020, after verifying earlier received reports of numerous slides along Nueva Vizcaya-Ifugao-Mt. Province Road.
Upon reaching the site, a heavy downpour forced the DPWH Quick Response Team to seek refuge in a house but they were caught off-guard when a slide from the mountain slope rolled down and pushed the said residential structure down the slope.
“These people, true to their sworn commitment to the service, will be remembered for the selfless deeds and valor exemplified in the line of duty for our countrymen.”
The public works head said that these people, true to their sworn commitment to the service will be remembered for the selfless deeds and valor exemplified in the line of duty for our countrymen.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to our personnel who bravely served our country and paid the ultimate price. We will extend all efforts to look for the missing and support the families of the victims. Let us pray that those missing will be found,” he added.
Villar also emphasized the importance of having sound safety practices in all phases of the planning and execution of disaster response operations.
“This is to ensure that there will never be another casualty from our men on the ground who are risking their lives immediately after the weather stabilizes in performing their duties to help our kababayans,” he concluded.