By CESAR JOLITO III
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson assured residents that the provincial government is doing its utmost to address the clearing of hardened lahar from creeks in La Castellana but admitted that clearing operations will take time due to limited equipment.
“We are doing our utmost best to clear the lahar. Yes, it may take time, and I hope that no additional lahar will flow down, especially when we experience heavy rainfalls,” Lacson said yesterday.
“We cannot just focus on one area because other areas are also requesting [clearing operations],” he added.
Lacson said the province may request help from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to augment resources.
“We are now almost on our last quarter. I hope the DPWH still has the budget to help us,” he said.
The clearing of volcanic debris from Tamburong Creek in La Castellana is expected to stretch for at least a year, as operations move slowly due to equipment breakdowns and weather disruptions.
Incident Management Team Commander Remuel Lajo reported that only 808 cubic meters of volcanic sand and gravel have so far been removed, a small fraction of the estimated 28,000 cubic meters that must be cleared.
Only two heavy equipment units from the province are being used for the operations, with one already out of service.
Three dump trucks from the provincial government and light trucks from the La Castellana municipal government have been mobilized, but Lajo stressed these remain insufficient.
“There are still tons of stocks on the upper part of the creek, and when rains come, the cleared areas are quickly refilled with debris from upstream,” Lajo warned.
The provincial government earlier allocated P1 million for fuel subsidies to sustain the operations, which aim to restore the creek’s natural flow with a depth of 30 feet and a width of six meters.
Despite the slow pace, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II confirmed that the clearing team has already succeeded in unblocking the culvert box, allowing water to pass through again.
Meanwhile, asked about preparations amid reports of continued abnormal activity at Kanlaon Volcano, Lacson admitted that vigilance remains necessary.
“Prayers lang gid,” the governor said.
He hoped that the volcanic unrest would continue to simmer down.
“On Wednesday, zero volcanic earthquakes — that’s a good sign — but the volume of sulfur is still a lot, 1,600 tons, I think,” he said.
Fully prepared
The Canlaon City government in Negros Oriental has assured residents that it is fully prepared to respond to any ashfall or related hazards from Kanlaon, which emitted a 600-meter grayish plume early Wednesday, September 10.
Canlaon City Emergency Operations Center information officer Seth Bariga said residents in barangays within Kanlaon’s four-kilometer permanent danger zone have already been briefed and equipped with face masks, which were distributed during previous volcanic episodes.
“The residents, who had returned home from months of staying at evacuation centers, already have face masks and know the drill in case their communities are affected by ashfall. We already alerted them today about possible ashfall and to take the necessary measures,” Bariga said.
Phivolcs reported the plume at 5:10 a.m. on Wednesday, but clarified that no ashfall was recorded in Canlaon City due to wind direction blowing westward.
Still, Bariga said the local government remains vigilant.
Additional masks are ready for distribution if supplies run out, and city vehicles have been designated to ferry residents from pick-up points to safer locations in case an evacuation is ordered.
Authorities are also closely monitoring the possibility of landslides or lahar flows amid intermittent rains in the mountain city./CJ, WDJ