Tapaz Mayor Roberto Palomar ordered the evacuation of residents after the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) declared the area unsafe. She said the displaced villagers are now living in “kurob,” or makeshift houses usually used during typhoons. Gayas, a day care worker and council member of the Tumandok, said the evacuees have yet to get the P5,000 financial aid that the Tapaz town promised. He said Tapaz town, a first- class municipality (average annual income: P55 million or more) dependent on the Internal Revenue Allotment, cannot afford to buy the land. Aside from the loss of their houses, villagers said they also fear losing their farms.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 14, 2016 17:01 UTC