By JEN BAYLON
The Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) is conducting an inventory of unoccupied housing units as temporary shelters for evacuees should Kanlaon Volcano erupt.
OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez said he had talked with local government units in northern Negros Occidental, where there are Yolanda housing projects of the National Housing Authority.
Fernandez said the housing units — located in the cities of Silay, Victorias, Cadiz, Sagay, and Escalante, as well as E.B. Magalona town — were not yet awarded to its beneficiaries.
The OCD-6 will also assess the availability of the units, built for the victims of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013, which could serve as temporary shelters for affected residents in case Alert Level 4 is raised in Kanlaon.
Fernandez emphasized the importance of the inventory process, noting that it is crucial for ensuring that there are enough safe housing options available should the situation at Kanlaon escalate.
Discussions regarding a memorandum of agreement between the city governments of Bago and Talisay are also ongoing, which aim to further enhance strategies and resource sharing in case of evacuations, Fernandez said.
The OCD-6 is also considering an evacuation center in Bacolod City’s Barangay Vista Alegre as a possible evacuation facility, he added.
However, Fernandez admitted that the available housing units in Negros Occidental are still not enough to house all evacuees.
Meanwhile, the OCD-6 director identified Himamaylan City as the “immediate relocation site” for Kanlaon evacuees, particularly those from La Castellana town, with Himamaylan National High School serving as a key evacuation center.
Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3, as it continues to exhibit intensified unrest over the weekend.
As of yesterday, 14 ash emission events, lasting from two to 65 minutes, were observed, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.
These emissions were accompanied by voluminous plumes rising up to 900 meters high, drifting west and southwest, Phivolcs said.
Seismic activity remains elevated, with 35 volcanic earthquakes recorded, including 11 tremors lasting four to 38 minutes.
Sulfur dioxide emissions have also increased, reaching 2,413 tons per day as of Saturday, January 25, reflecting heightened magmatic activity beneath the surface, Phivolcs said./JB, WDJ