Some 332 barangays in Central Visayas covering 17 towns are up for a detailed geohazard assessment and mapping in a scale of 1:10,000 with a total budget of P4.318 million this year.

Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7 Regional Director Loreto B. Alburo said this is a priority program under President Aquino’s administration to ensure that lives and pieces of property are protected against the possibility of landslides and flooding given the adverse and extreme weather conditions.

In Cebu, 166 barangays in nine towns are due for mapping to include Badian, 29; Alegria, 9; Malabuyoc and Ginatilan with 14 each; Borbob, 19; Tabogon, 25; Daanbantayan, 20; Samboan, 15; and Oslob with 15..

Also, 166 barangays will be assessed in Bohol covering Batuan with 15; Dimiao, 35; Loay, 24; Mabini, 22; Candijay, 21; Lila, 18; Anda, 16; and Alicia with 15..

The objective of the 1:10,000-scale is to indicate more details of the area covered by the map which may include the specific physical characteristics or environment of each sitio or “purok” in a barangay.

“The 332 are prioritized based on the results of the 1:50,000-scale which indicates a number of barangays which are either critical or very high vulnerability to geological hazards such as flooding and landslides,” Alburo said.

The 1:10,000-scale geohazard map is expected to be completed in 2014.

Alburo said the assessment team will re-issue appropriate warnings and geohazards advisories to be received by the Office of the Mayor and a barangay official.

He added assessment results will provide to them so that they can start with initiating measures to reduce possible impacts or effects of these geological hazards.

Alburo articulated that geohazard maps have become an important tool in disaster risk reduction and management.