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The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) has recommended placing Negros Oriental under a state of calamity due to the continued unrest of Mt. Kanlaon. PDDRM chief Adrian Sedillo told the Philippine News Agency that the council voted on Thursday, December 26, for the recommendation after the local government unit (LGU) of Vallehermoso …

By JEN BAYLON Sustained rains have caused flooding in some parts of Negros Occidental’s Victorias City this week, as evacuation and relief efforts have been ongoing for the affected residents. Eight families from Barangay 21 have been evacuated following flashfloods, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said in a statement yesterday. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and …

Amid the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) directed local government units (LGUs) to relocate displaced individuals staying in evacuation centers along lahar paths. This, after OCD chief Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno convened an emergency preparedness meeting to address the threats posed by Mt. Kanlaon. “The RTF [Regional Task Force] Kanlaon presented a …

Two weeks after the explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, residents of the hardest-hit municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental gathered at the plaza on Monday night, December 23, to officially usher in the Christmas celebration. Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan led the traditional “Lights On” ceremony themed “Continents of the World” only hours after the Philippine …

Kanlaon Volcano continuously emitted dark ash, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. “Continuous emission of dark ash [has been] ongoing at Kanlaon Volcano since 11:45 a.m. An advisory will be released,” Phivolcs said on Facebook. “Marami tayong ash emissions. Ang pagkakaroon ng dark ash emission ay maaaring dulot ng gas-driven explosion sa bunganga …

Aid will be provided to sugarcane farmers affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said. In an interview, SRA Administrator Luis Pablo Azcona said they would use the agency’s savings from Christmas parties, registered after heeding the directives of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. “to …

Tourists are advised to monitor local advisories and avoid traveling to places affected by ashfall following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. In an advisory, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said towns affected by heavy ashfall are La Castellana, La Carlota City, Bago City, and Murcia in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental. As …

The reduction in proposed import fees on sugar sweeteners may result in the influx of more sugar substitutes, causing mill gate sugar prices to further decline, the Sugar Council and the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (Nacusip) said. This comes after the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) plans to reduce the …

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced yesterday that President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has turned over P30 million each to the Canlaon City government and the provincial government of Negros Oriental, as part of ongoing government efforts to assist communities affected by the December 9 eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. “This support was facilitated today …

The move of Bacolod City to harness solar power to energize the Government Center and other public structures is a “monumental step towards Bacolod’s energy future.” This was stated by Frederic Tesfay, who leads the Urban Act and Renewable Energy Projects in the Philippines for GIZ, the main German development agency, during the switch-on of …