• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Evacuees residing outside the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon volcano, have started to return to their respective homes in La Castellana and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, despite the restiveness of the volcano.
The return of almost 4,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) was agreed on during a meeting between Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan, La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalandoon, and Dr. Merijene Ortizo, Bago City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, who represented Mayor Nicholas Yulo, on January 7, according to Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz.
Mangilimutan said IDPs of Barangay Sag-ang in La Castellana have returned to their homes Wednesday, as the Incident Management Team continues to identify those who can safely be allowed to return home.
There were 8,732 people in La Castellana, Bago City and La Carlota City who were evacuated after the December 9 eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
Task Force Kanlaon head, Raul Fernandez, who is also the Office of Civil Defense 6 chief, however, said he is leaving it to the discretion of local chief executives if they will allow IDPs to decamp from the evacuation centers and return to their homes.
If he has his own way, Fernandez said the 4,000 IDPs should be sent to Himamaylan City, where a tent city is being established by the national government.
Unlike in La Castellana, where the local government unit manages nine evacuation centers, Fernandez said there is a distribution of burden in the tent city, as other local government units involved may also share their resources and manpower in managing the camp, aside from support of the national government.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded two ash emission events on Wednesday, of which one lasted almost two hours.
If the concerned LGUs will push for it, we cannot do anything. But the accountability is with them because they are the one responsible for their people, Fernandez said. On our part, we are just making recommendations, suggestions and giving advice, or facilitating any assistance being requested.
All indicators pointing that the imminent threat of eruption is still there, Fernandez, in a press briefing at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, citing the analysis of PHIVOLCS.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon volcano.
If it erupts again and there will be many people in the danger zone, then it will be a chaotic situation, wherein more lives will be unnecessarily exposed to danger, especially responders, Fernandez said, recalling that pyroclastic rocks from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption reached as far as 14 kilometers.
Based on the hazard map, he disclosed that La Castellana could be hit by lava and lahar.
Joel Erestain, OCD-7 regional director, said he also suggested to the Canlaon City government to allow vulnerable residents like children, women, and persons with disabilities to start moving to neighboring Vallehermoso town in Negros Oriental and to other areas in that province as the restiveness of Kanlaon Volcano continues.
Canlaon City has formulated Plan EXODUS (Exit Operations During Uncertainties Strategy) that will mandate the transfer of residents to other areas if the volcano erupts again.*
