By JEN BAYLON
The Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) is scrambling to identify additional evacuation centers as authorities are bracing for Kanlaon Volcano’s potential escalation to Alert Level 4.
OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III said local government units (LGUs) surrounding Kanlaon have been tasked with assessing the capacities of evacuation centers in case a possible surge in internally displaced persons (IDPs) takes place.
Sermeno said OCD-NIR is still finalizing the total number of evacuees from the affected LGUs.
Based on their recent meetings, 90 percent of residents need to be evacuated because they don’t have anywhere to stay in case of another volcanic eruption, he said.
While the plan is still under discussion, other LGUs — including the cities of Silay, San Carlos and Bago, as well as Pontevedra town — have been identified as potential evacuation hubs.
Last month, the affected LGUs already submitted their respective contingency plans to OCD, including the evacuation of residents, in anticipation of a worst-case scenario at Kanlaon.
Meanwhile, Himamaylan City is proposing a new tent city adjacent to its existing facility, aiming to accommodate approximately 300 additional tents.
Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson wants additional tents for the tent city to accommodate more IDPs in case Kanlaon erupts again.
Only 300 out of the 390 family tents sent by OCD were installed at the nine-hectare tent city, he added.
Aid
A total of 695 sacks of rice have been distributed to different evacuation centers for Kanlaon evacuees.
Sermeno said the OCD-NIR delivered 100 sacks to La Carlota City, and another 310 sacks will be delivered to La Castellana town.
The evacuation centers in La Castellana and the cities of La Carlota and Bago in Negros Occidental, as well as Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, will be the target beneficiaries of the rice assistance from the OCD.
The OCD is still collating data on the rice consumption of the evacuees in the four localities, Sermeno said.
At least 7,900 families, composed of 24,891 individuals, in Negros Occidental have been affected by the eruption of Kanlaon, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed.
About 1,766 families, or 5,657 individuals, are temporarily staying in 14 evacuation centers in the province.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,553 families, or 8,302 individuals, are living with relatives or friends.
Earlier, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the provincial government will start the third wave of feeding for the evacuees through its community kitchen, with funds to be taken from the P50 million.
“This time, we included rice in the feeding,” Lacson said.
Of the P50 million fund, P14 million will be designated for establishing a permanent evacuation site in La Castellana, while P1.3 million is allocated for improvements at the evacuation site in Bago.
The remaining P19 million will be reserved for the next phase of the province’s feeding program for IDPs.
Unrest
Kanlaon continues to show signs of unrest, logging volcanic earthquakes and degassing over the weekend, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said in a report.
The volcano, which straddles Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, had 10 volcanic earthquakes in the last 24 hours while emitting 1,714 tons of sulfur dioxide, Phivolcs said.
Moderate plumes reaching up to 100 meters tall were seen rising from the summit.
The plumes drifted southwest.
With Kanlaon Volcano still at Alert Level 3, indicating magmatic unrest, the urgency for adequate funding and resources remains high to ensure the well-being of those affected. / With reports from GMA Integrated News / JB, WDJ