• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A total of 37 families, composed of 100 individuals, abandoned the evacuation center they were using on Monday in La Castellana, Negros, without the consent of the concerned local government unit.
Donato Sermeno, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense – Negros Island Region, disclosed on Monday that the Regional Incident Management Team was dispatched to La Castellana to help resolve the situation.
The 37 families, residents of Barangay Cabagnaan, La Castellana, left the school being used as an evacuation center, on board a cargo truck and other vehicles.
The evacuees were reportedly complaining of poor accommodations, and were already tired and fed up of staying at the evacuation centers, with the national government having no clear plans for them.
La Castellana Vice Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan yesterday said that efforts are being exerted for the return of the evacuees that fled.
Negros Occidental 5th District Representative Emilio Yulo said he was not surprised at all, when he was asked for his reaction on the report of evacuees returning home, without asking permission from the authorities.
Yulo, who attended the simultaneous oathtaking of mayors, vice mayors, councilors in the 5th district in Moises Padila, said that the fleeing evacuees were already physically tired, mentally disturbed, psychologically distressed, and sexually deprived.
More than 4,000 residents in the six-kilometer danger zone were affected by the Kanlaon eruption, since December 9 last year.
Yulo said “there is no clear plan on what’s going to happen in the next three months, in the next six months, or next year.” “Assuming that this crisis continues in the coming years, are we just going to tell them to abandon their livelihoods?” he asked.
He pointed out that “we should be very clear on what we want – or what our plan is.” “Number one: I don’t think they would willingly live in a tent city. Number two: I don’t think they would just abandon their only means of livelihood, and number three: They are also concerned about their family’s future,” he said.
He added “if they haven’t received a clear message, I share their frustration – we don’t know the plan either. The ones making decisions are the police and perhaps the OCD (Office of Civil Defense).”
“Maybe it’s even better that they’re misbehaving (pasaway) a bit, so their problems will be noticed,” Yulo said.
If the situation is not resolved soon, Yulo said he will deliver a privilege speech in Congress to bring this matter to the attention of the national government.*
