• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday thanked President Marcos Jr. and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno for the additional P63 million in financial assistance to local government units affected by the continuous and prolonged unrest of Mt. Kanlaon.
Lacson said the prolonged evacuation has placed a heavy burden on affected communities and local governments.
With the continued disturbances caused by Mt. Kanlaon, we remain hopeful that this assistance will help pave the way for the establishment of permanent shelters for those who have been severely affected and those residing in danger zones, he added.
The local government units of La Castellana, La Carlota, and Bago cities sought more financial assistance from Malacanang, as their quick response funds were facing depletion.
We thank the President for recognizing the urgency of the situation and for responding to the needs of our people, Lacson said.
Nepomuceno, who recently signed two separate Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the Negros Association of Chief Executives (Negros ACE) and Victorias City government in Negros Occidental to reinforce disaster preparedness and resilience efforts, said they are awaiting the signature of President Marcos Jr. on the additional assistance requested by concerned LGUs, which they endorsed.
The provincial government of Negros Occidental is slated to start its fourth round of serving hot meals to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) staying at the evacuation centers, using the remaining P50 million fund given by Malacañang in previous months.
Ensuring the safety and dignity of our people remains our top priority, and we are thankful that we are not alone in this effort, Lacson said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that a total of 1,770 families or 5,673 IDPs staying in 14 evacuation centers in Negros Occidental.*
