24 May 2022 (Laak, Davao de Oro) – Most of the development project areas of Good
Neighbors International Philippines (GNIP) are disaster-prone but are lacking services
that will respond to their immediate needs.
One of the areas in Laak, Davao de Oro is the special barangay Limot, a flood-prone
and low-lying area. When Lagum River rises, it isolates the Dibabawon tribe, an
Indigenous group, and other residents making it hard for them to receive emergency
services.
Some parts of the municipalities of Mawab, Monkayo, Montevista, and Nabunturan are
also flooded when there is continuous heavy rainfall. Rainy season is most likely to
occur between the months of May and January of the ensuing year with pronounced
maximum rainfall during October to December.
COMPOSTELA VALLEY
Prone Flash floods
According to reliefweb.int, the municipalities of Compostela, Maco, Maragusan, New
Bataan, and Pantukan in Compostela Valley Province, Philippines are prone to flooding
and flash floods. A 2006 DENR-MGB geohazard assessment found that 23% of
Compostela Valley is at high risk for flooding.
Prone to Landslide
Areas prone to landslides are Mapaca and San Miguel in the municipality of Compostela,
Masara in Maco is very high to landslide while Langgam, Panoraon, Tagbaros, Mainit,
Elizalde and Panangan have high ratings in terms of landslide. In Maragusan, most of
the areas rated as high in flooding were also identified as areas high in landslides such
as Poblacion, Lahi, Tupaz, Cambagang and Bagong Silang.
Mawab is high to landslide in barangays Concepcion, Poblacion and very high in
Tuboran. Monkayo, equally, is prone to landslides in areas namely Banlag, Baylo, San
Isidro and Mt. Diwata. Residents in these areas, especially Mt. Diwata are highly advised
to relocate to areas identified as relocation areas.
Biodiversity Hotspot
EMBC Eastern Mindanao Biodiversity Corrido
Vulnerable in Earthquakes
This series of earthquakes followed the Mw 6.0 earthquake in Davao de Oro on 01
February 2023. The occurrence of earthquakes in the area is expected because of the
presence of different active faults in Eastern Mindanao.
Have strong to great earthquakes affected Davao de Oro and vicinity in the past?
Yes, at least 11 strong to great earthquakes ranging from M6.0 to M8.3 (offshore)
occurred in Davao de Oro and its vicinity from 1891 to the present based on the SEASEE
Report and PHIVOLCS Earthquake Catalog. The most damaging earthquake that
affected Davao de Oro was the 21 June 1893 M7.3 Monkayo earthquake (Bautista and
Oike, 1999) along the Philippine Fault which produced numerous landslides,
liquefaction, and structural damages. This earthquake generated long and wide cracks
that may be attributed to a surface rupture along the Central Compostela Valley
segment of the Philippine Fault (Perez et al., 2015). Based on historical accounts, the
earthquake was felt at a maximum intensity of VII (Destructive) in Monkayo (SEASEE,
1985). Recently, the 01 February 2023 Mw 6.0 earthquake affected Davao de Oro and
caused tension cracks, landslides, and structural damages, with maximum ground
shaking intensity of PEIS VI (Very strong).
Why do earthquakes occur in Davao de Oro and vicinity?
Davao de Oro in Eastern Mindanao is one of the seismically active regions in the country
because of the presence of active faults that include the East Compostela Valley, West
Compostela Valley, Central Compostela Valley, Nabunturan, Caraga River, and Mati
Segments of the Philippine Fault (Perez et al., 2015), and the Central Mindanao Fault
(Figure 1). There are other nearby local faults, some of which may be covered by recent
deposits, that could be sources of minor-to strong-magnitude earthquakes.
Erosion
Soil erosion is a serious threat to the sustainability of agriculture in Monkayo. At
an intensity of rainfall, vegetation and a variety of farmers’ practice affects the
erosion magnitude of certain sloping undulating land. Soil cover can decrease soil
erosion, whose effectiveness can be greatly increased if it is combined with good
land management practices. It can be concluded that the establishment of soil
erosion plots and MUSLE were an important methodology to quantify soil loss at
field level since there was no significant difference between the two empirical
models. As an estimate of cost of soil erosion, replacement cost values find their
best use as inputs into policy-making regarding soil erosion control.
Tenured Areas in Compostela Valley
Production Area
The main production area in Compostela Valley, Davao de Oro is rice production, which
is concentrated in the flat lands of the town of Compostela. The National Irrigation
Administration-Asian Development Bank (NIA-ADB) built an irrigation system in the early
1970s that serves the southwestern part of the municipality. As of December 2015, the
Firmed Up Service Area (FUSA) of Compostela Valley IMO was 10,909 hectares, with
10,889 hectares irrigated in both the wet and dry seasons.
Compostela Valley also has high potential for rubber planting, with 29.8% of the area
suitable for it. The province of Davao de Oro, which includes Compostela Valley, also
produces corn, coconut, coffee, abaca, banana, mango, pineapple, durian, calamansi,
mandarin, and lanzones.
The total land area of the province is recorded at 4,666.93 square kilometers (sq. km.)
of which 32.80% or 1,530.97sq. km. are alienable and disposable; and 67.20% or
3,135.96sq. km. are forestland. The land area of the province represents 14.73% to the
Region’s total land area of 31,692.74 sq. km., and 0.15% to the Philippines’ land area.
Of the component municipalities of the province, Laak has the largest share of
land area, followed by Monkayo, and New Bataan. Mawab, on the other hand, has the
least share of land area in the whole province of Compostela Valley.
Land Area & Land Classification by Municipality
Compostela Valley Province, 2006
Land Classification
Land Area
(Sq. Km.) (in Square Kilometers)
Municipality
Percentage
Percentage
A&D Forestland of
of A & D
Forestland
Compostela
4,666.93 1,530.97 3,135.96 32.80 67.20
Valley
1.
187.50 118.72 68.78 63.32 36.68
Compostela
2. Laak 947.06 208.19 738.87 21.98 78.02
3. Mabini 412.25 78.92 333.33 19.14 80.86
4. Maco 244.40 81.05 163.35 33.16 66.84
5. Maragusan 394.29 117.66 276.63 29.84 70.16
6. Mawab 169.52 99.97 69.55 58.97 41.03
7. Monkayo 692.89 245.13 447.76 35.38 64.62
8. Montevista 265.00 113.25 151.75 42.74 57.26
9. Nabunturan 245.29 118.51 126.78 48.43 51.57
10. New
688.60 200.79 487.81 29.16 70.84
Bataan
11. Pantukan 420.13 148.78 271.35 35.41 64.59
Freshwater/ Coastal Area
The province of Davao de Oro, formerly known as Compostela Valley, has a coastline of
1,600 square kilometers. The province is located in the southeastern section of
Mindanao in the Davao Region of the Philippines. It has a land area of 4,560.09 square
kilometers and a population of 767,547 as of 2020
The region is known for its mineral resources, fertile fields, and forestland. The
Diwalwal area in Davao de Oro has attracted many commercial explorers and
small-scale miners.
National Research and Development Project for Watershed Management: Saug
Watershed, Compostela Valley Province and Davao del Norte
Based on the results of the study the following conclusions were drawn:
1. The biological characteristics of Saug watershed is already degraded
considering the low biodiversity for flora, fungi, birds, arthropods and other
life within the watershed.
2. The water use efficiency of white lauan was higher compared to ilang-ilang
and this indicated better performance of the former in terms of water
absorption, storage and transport.
3. The stream water quantity of Saug river tributaries is high during the rainy
months and low during the dry months for longer period which extend to
more than six months which affect the supply of irrigation water for the
downstream communities.
4. The water quality of the watershed stream tributaries which is generally
classified as good showed water pollution with greater turbidity, high total
suspended solids and high nitrates at the urban and downstream areas.
5. There was a high increase in population in the watershed especially in
urban barangays which posted a mean growth rate of 2.27 % per annum
6. Flooding and landslides are two environmental hazards affecting the
watershed communities. Many barangays in the downstream portion are
affected and experience flooding for two to three times a year with
considerable losses to crops, properties and infrastructure. Areas
vulnerable to landslides comprise 16, 000 hectares due to the absence of
forest cover, high slopes, erodible soil and proximity to faultlines.
7. Changes in land use occurred and annual crops such as rice have
considerably reduced due to conversion to massive commercial banana
production of multinational companies.
