By JEN BAYLON
The Negros Occidental provincial government is eyeing placing the province under a state of calamity following the explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Monday, December 9.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will convene today for a special session to discuss plans for the declaration of a state of calamity in the province.
The declaration would allow for the release of additional resources to aid local government units (LGUs) affected by the recent eruption.
Lacson said the province is qualified to be placed under a state of calamity, but legal frameworks are still being ensured so as not to be questioned by the Commission on Audit.
He added that Negros Occidental has a quick response fund amounting to P78 million, with P24 million remaining in its calamity fund.
These funds could be accessed once the state of calamity is officially declared, he said.
Lacson said some LGUs unaffected by the eruption are allowed to allocate their calamity funds to support those most impacted.
The localities most affected by the eruption are the cities of Bago and La Carlota, as well as La Castellana town.
Damages to agriculture, particularly rice and aquaculture, remain under assessment, while no major infrastructure damage has been reported.
On Monday afternoon, Kanlaon Volcano erupted, sending an ash column soaring nearly four kilometers into the atmosphere, and releasing pyroclastic density currents that traveled up to 3.4 kilometers from the crater.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Alert Level 3 at Kanlaon, indicating intensified volcanic unrest and the potential for hazardous eruptions in the coming weeks.
Thousands displaced
At least 9,177 individuals, or 2,697 families, from five LGUs have been impacted by Kanlaon’s explosive eruption, latest data from the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed yesterday.
A total of 7,294 individuals in La Castellana have been evacuated following the eruption, data showed.
In Bago City, 1,548 individuals, or 385 families, evacuated from Barangays Mailum, Ilijan, Binubuhan, and Ma-ao.
La Carlota also reported the evacuation of 2,019 people, or 673 families, from Barangays Yubo and Ara-al.
In Pontevedra town, 400 persons, or 132 families, have been evacuated from two barangays.
The eruption prompted LGUs to evacuate around 87,000 residents from Kanlaon’s six-kilometer permanent danger zone, according to data from the Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR).
The volcanic activity, accompanied by 20 earthquakes, has already affected 26 villages in Negros Occidental, with ash fall reported in towns such as Hinigaran, Valladolid and La Castellana.
Evacuation centers have been established in 10 LGUs, such as the cities of Bago, Sagay, San Carlos, Kabankalan, Himamaylan, La Carlota, and Sipalay, as well as the towns of San Enrique and Moises Padilla, and capital Bacolod City.
Despite these efforts, officials are encountering challenges in persuading residents to leave their homes.
“Residents must evacuate. Their lives are at stake,” OCD-NIR Regional Director Donato Sermeno said.
“In preparation for the worst-case scenario, Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City has been designated as the primary evacuation center, with the capacity to accommodate up to 30,000 evacuees,” he added.
The Provincial Health Office has mobilized health emergency teams, distributed 8,000 face masks to residents, and prepositioned medical supplies to assist affected residents, while the Provincial Veterinary Office has issued advisories to mitigate the effects of ash fall on animals, prepositioned veterinary resources, and deployed livestock rescue teams to assist farmers in affected areas.
Authorities distributed hot meals to evacuees and deployed water tanks to ensure access to clean drinking water.
Local officials are urging residents in high-risk zones to remain vigilant and adhere to their evacuation orders./JB, WDJ