Despite the creation and establishment of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) office in the newly created Negros Island Region, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Western Visayas (RDRRMC-6) continues its support of the ongoing Kanlaon Volcano response operations.
OCD-6 Operations Section chief and RDRRMC-6 Secretariat head Melisa Banias, during her report at the council’s first-quarter meeting, said OCD-6, as lead of the logistics cluster, has provided 8,478 liters of fuel worth about P501,869.13 to vehicles used for the response operations, including vehicles from local government units (LGUs).
The OCD Rapid Deployment Team also distributed 90,000 liters of filtered water to the affected LGUs.
Banias added they provided 659 sacks of rice worth about P1,252,100 to LGUs to support the ongoing operations.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 6 reported the cost of food, non-food items and assistance from the department, OCD, LGUs, and non-government organizations provided to affected families has reached P92,054,377.32.
DSWD Field Office 6 added that 1,766 families, or 5,657 people, are being served in 14 evacuation centers, while 2,105 families, or 6,789 people, are being served outside evacuation centers.
Inside the evacuation centers, the DSWD has established alternative learning spaces.
To date, according to DSWD Field Office 6, the Kanlaon volcano eruption has affected 7,900 families, or 24,891 people, in the region.
In Himamaylan City, a tent city is being established to accommodate 300 families.
Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology-6 has deployed 34 telecommunications assets to support the ongoing operations.
The Department of Public Works and Highways-6 has deployed five pieces of equipment with 28 personnel for debris and road clearing operations.
The Department of Health-6 reported it has conducted 3,702 consultations and provided P6,236,868.24 worth of medical and other supplies to ensure the affected families remain healthy. (PIA-6)