Kibungan, Benguet – A 20-year-old man died while his brother is still missing after they were carried away by a landslide during the height of Typhoon Maring on Monday, October 11, 2021.
Mayor Cesar Molitas, in an interview this Wednesday, October 13, said the casualty was identified as June Perez Balangen, 20 years old, a resident of Todag, Tacadang. He was found at around 10 AM on Tuesday, October 12.
The person missing is identified as Romy Balangen, 25 years old, married and a resident of the same barangay. Molitas said that search and rescue operation is now ongoing for the older Balangen.
“As of now po, yung mga barangay officials at mga taga roon [ang nagsasagawa ng search and rescue],” he said.
In a report relayed to the mayor, the two along with their other sibling were heading back home after going to the rice fields when part of the rice field eroded along with June and Romy into the river which was just located below.
As narrated, one of the siblings managed to get out of the erosion.
According to Molitas, it was the first time that an incident like this happened in the municipality as previous typhoons did not cause such incidents in the municipality.
“First time ngay a mangyari dituy Kibungan diyay. Ti typhoon idi previous, awan ti nangnangyari, tatta laeng. Masdaaw kami ta tatta nga time ket isu ti kadakkelan a damage daytuy kalkalsada tayu,” Molitas claimed.
Meantime, road opening is now being conducted at Lotaan and Bacuyo as two large landslides transpired in the area. Molitas said, construction firms in the municipality volunteered to provide the necessary equipment in opening said roads.
As for damages to properties, partially damaged houses of 11 families were reported, while 9 families composed of 41 individuals evacuated from their homes.
Food packs were already given to the evacuees, the mayor relayed, while for now, they are looking for possibilities of giving financial assistance.
“Later on nu adda ti mabalin a pangalaan tayu, kitan tayu nu adda pondo tayu ta mabalin siguro nga ikkan tayu isuda iti sagabassit a financial assistance if ever nga adda," Molitas added.
As for agricultural damages, Molitas said they are still waiting for reports from the seven barangays of Kibungan as it was delayed due to non-availability of current and that most of the areas in Kibungan have weak cellphone signals affecting the communication.
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