The local government of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental province has shifted roles in managing evacuation camps for displaced residents affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.

Edna Lhou Masicampo, Canlaon City public information officer, told the Philippine News Agency yesterday that the city’s Incident Command System (ICS) has been demobilized effective Tuesday, July 15, and has shifted to barangay-level management.

Masicampo said the transition is “mainly because it is the role of the barangay to manage internally displaced persons (IDPs) as stated in Section 12 of RA [Republic Act] 10121, wherein barangays are mandated to establish their Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee under the Barangay Development Council.”

She said this does not mean that the situation in Canlaon City, due to the restive volcano, has calmed down.

The city is now adopting a support role through continuous guidance, coordination and monitoring, she added.

With this latest development, the barangays will now supervise and manage the daily operations of the evacuation camps and the IDPs wherever they are residing.

About 745 families, equivalent to 2,397 individuals, are in evacuation centers at the JBCMHS-Main Campus, Masulog Covered Court, Malaiba Barangay Hall, Villa Iowa Elementary School, Pula Elementary School, Linothangan Barangay Hall, Malaiba Elementary School, Masulog High School, Masulog Elementary School, and Old Cultural Center.

The IDPs fled their homes from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon after its eruption on December 9, 2024 and have since stayed in evacuation camps or with relatives.

Government agencies, meanwhile, continue to provide resources, such as food packs from the regional social welfare office and hygiene kits from the Department of Health and the Office of Civil Defense.

These are coursed through the city’s Emergency Operations Center, Masicampo said. (PNA)