The Office of the Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) assured help for local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental in case Mt. Kanlaon erupts anew, during the recent Joint Regional Development Council, Regional Peace and Order Council, Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council meeting at a hotel in Bacolod City.
OCD-6 regional director Raul Fernandez said the Regional Incident Management Team stations in the province to help the LGUs in the preparation, like planning for their evacuation areas, supporting their evacuees, and clearing people inside the permanent danger zone (PDZ).
The LGUs, he said, are the first responders in case any untoward incident happens in their area and the OCD is helping them with that.
Based on their observation during the volcano’s eruption last June 3, the LGUs need immediate transportation to evacuate affected families in the barangays, he noted.
Aside from the urgent need to provide water, there is also a need to have an orderly identification of families and individuals for a well-organized evacuation plan and a need for evacuation centers, not schools, because it is primarily for learning, he said.
The OCD, along with the Department of Health and the Philippine National Red Cross, deployed their teams to operate the filtration trucks, which is still an ongoing service in the affected barangays of La Castellana.
Fernandez also cited the strong collaboration among national government agencies, the LGUs, and the private sector during rescue and assistance responses last June 3, especially in following the guidelines set by OCD and other concerned agencies.
As to food and non-food items, he assured the government has enough supply.
“I urge the LGUs to make the necessary preparations if the situation worsens on Mt. Kanlaon. Let us be prepared by activating our incident management teams, making the evacuation plans, buffer stocking, and the information and education communication activities for the affected communities, and informing them accordingly. They must be ready to evacuate anytime with their necessities packed in their go bags,” he said. (PIA-6 Negros Occidental)