Magpet Environment Management staff Julius Tingzon in his letter to mayor Efren Piñol said this was the result of the geohazard mapping of the Rapid Field Assessment team of the MGB on October 11.
Tingzon said landslides in these barangays are likely to happen during the rainy months of June to November.
The MGB team identified the 17 barangays as Amabel, Bagumbayan, Bangkal, Bantak, Binay, Bongolanon, Don Panaca, Ilian, Imamaling, Kinarum, Magcaalam, Manobisa, Manobo, Noa, Pangao-an, Sallab and Tagbac.
MGB representative Alfredo Magpantay Jr. has advised the town and barangay officials to immediately initiate readiness measures.
Mayor Efren Piñol immediately convened the Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council (MDCC) to discuss the report.
He also recommended to the barangay chairs of the landslide-prone areas to conduct information and education dissemination during their “pulong-pulong sa barangay.”
“I also advised our environment management staff to closely monitor these 17 barangays at all times and send landslide threat advisory every time there is heavy downpour to alert our constituents in these places,” he said.
Piñol also encouraged barangay officials to lead their constituents especially in the uplands, to restore the vegetative cover of their areas by planting agro-forestry crops.
“We should work hand in hand especially in restoring our environment while there are still time. Let us utilize our idle areas by planting trees and other crops that could possibly save us from possible disaster particularly landslide,” Piñol said.