The Office of Civil Defense in Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has admitted it cannot intervene in the release of additional financial assistance to local government units (LGUs) affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest.
After the source of funds amounting to more than P203 million was transferred to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the guidelines stipulate that only the mayors of the affected LGUs are authorized to follow up on the release of these funds, OCD-NIR Director Donato Sermeno III said.
Sermeno acknowledged the pressure faced by OCD, as they were the agency that announced the approval of the said financial assistance.
However, they are limited in their capacity to expedite the fund release process.
Among the LGUs requesting additional financial aid are La Carlota City, which sought P63 million; Himamaylan City with P62.5 million; La Castellana town with P48.5 million; and Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City, which requested P29.7 million.
The additional assistance aims to support the affected communities in recovery and rehabilitation efforts following the volcanic eruption, which caused significant displacement and damage across several barangays.
Local officials are encouraged to coordinate directly with DBM to ensure timely release of funds, while the OCD continues to provide technical support and disaster response coordination.
In May, the OCD said an additional P203 million worth of financial assistance in response to Kanlaon’s continuing unrest will go directly to the affected LGUs in Negros Island after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. approved the funds.
The funding aims to support recovery efforts and address urgent needs such as water supply, utilities and other essential services in the impacted communities.
This supplementary aid is expected to help the LGUs address shortages in critical services and resources for their communities displaced or affected by the volcanic activity.
OCD said the funding proposals have been submitted by the affected LGUs to DBM, which will release the financial assistance from the Local Government Support Fund.
Meanwhile, OCD-NIR Regional Director Donato Sermeno III explained that Malacañang referred the matter to DBM, the agency responsible for disbursing the funds.
Earlier, OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said the additional aid comes from the P20 billion National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund, but stressed this budget diminishes fast, especially during the rainy season.
Nepomuceno added that the downloading of the funds was expected soon, reassuring the affected citizens that the national government will continue to provide needed support amid this crisis.
Kanlaon has remained under Alert Level 3 since December 9, 2024, indicating that further eruptions are possible.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the latest explosive eruption of Kanlaon was recorded on May 13, which lasted for five minutes and generated a grayish voluminous plume that rose approximately 4.5 kilometers above the vent./JB, WDJ