Geodetic Engineer in Eastern Visayas

Land surveying and Eastern Visayas

After Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the DENR announced a 40-meter no-build zone along the coasts of Leyte and Eastern Samar. In Tacloban, about 80 hectares in the north were allocated for new settlements. For a coastal lot, the first question is which zone map covers it.

Inland, the Samar Island Natural Park is the country's largest terrestrial protected area at about 333,300 hectares, across Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar. In Southern Leyte, the 2006 Guinsaugon landslide in St. Bernard shows how a hillside can fail after days of rain.

Common problems in Eastern Visayas

• Coastal lots after Haiyan: The 40-meter line was criticized for lacking a legal basis and hazard mapping, and was later revised so local authorities delineate hazard zones. For a lot in Tacloban or Eastern Samar, ask the LGU which map applies, then plot your boundary on it.
• Resettlement-site lots in north Tacloban: Relocation sites in north Tacloban were developed after Haiyan. If you are buying or inheriting a lot there, it helps to trace the lot to its parent plan and title, and a relocation survey shows whether the ground matches those papers.
• Lots on the Samar park edge: The Samar Island Natural Park spans three provinces and has a buffer. For land in Samar, Northern Samar or Eastern Samar uplands, it is advisable to ask the DENR office whether a lot touches the park or its buffer before buying.
• Steep lots in Southern Leyte: Guinsaugon in St. Bernard shows how a hillside can fail after days of rain. On a sloping lot, it is advisable to ask MGB which hazard class applies, and a topographic survey gives the slope and levels that engineers need.

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Frequently asked questions in Eastern Visayas