Business leaders seek updated geohazard maps after Mindanao quake

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Business leaders in General Santos City are urging government scientists and planners to immediately update regional geohazard maps after a recent strong earthquake exposed previously undocumented fault lines and widespread soil liquefaction in parts of southern Mindanao.

The call comes as local businesses and investors seek clearer scientific guidance on where future residential, commercial, and industrial developments can safely proceed following the earthquake, which caused extensive damage across several communities.

Speaking during an interview on Business 360 aired by Bilyonaryo News Channel, General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President Eusebio Baladiang Jr. said the disaster revealed geological hazards that had not been fully recognized in existing planning data.

“Before this earthquake, we had no idea that General Santos and Sarangani had a liquefaction problem,” Baladiang said.

He added that the earthquake also appeared to expose fault movements in areas that had not previously been identified as active.

“There are areas that experienced earthquake faults that were not identified before,” he said.

According to Baladiang, updated geohazard assessments are now essential to restore investor confidence and guide future land-use planning. He emphasized that businesses need definitive information on which areas may eventually be declared unsuitable for construction and which locations remain viable for development.

He noted that if certain properties are found unsuitable for residential or commercial projects, authorities could explore alternative land uses, including industrial developments that pose lower risks, depending on engineering assessments and applicable regulations.

The appeal follows reports from local officials documenting visible ground deformation, cracked roads, and structural damage in several barangays attributed to soil liquefaction—a phenomenon in which water-saturated soil temporarily loses its strength during intense ground shaking, causing the ground to behave like a liquid.

Urban planners and disaster risk experts have long relied on geohazard maps prepared by government scientific agencies to guide zoning decisions, infrastructure projects, and disaster preparedness. However, major earthquakes can reveal previously unmapped geological features or alter the understanding of existing hazards, prompting the need for updated assessments.

Business leaders said revised hazard maps would help local governments make informed decisions on zoning, building standards, and future infrastructure investments while providing greater certainty for private investors considering projects in General Santos City and neighboring Sarangani.

Government agencies have yet to announce whether a comprehensive review of existing geohazard maps will be conducted following the earthquake. Scientific assessments are expected to determine whether newly observed ground ruptures and liquefaction-prone areas warrant revisions to current hazard classifications.

Disaster management experts have consistently emphasized that updated hazard mapping, coupled with the strict enforcement of building codes and risk-informed land-use planning, remains critical to improving community resilience in earthquake-prone regions such as Mindanao.