• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) recorded five more ash emission events at Kanlaon Volcano as of Thursday afternoon, as the provincial government of Negros Occidental is slated to open its 30th edition of the Panaad sa Negros Festival on April 13, which will run until April 19.
The fifth ash emission event on Thursday noon, which lasted almost one hour, generated a grayish plume that rose 900 meters above the Kanlaon crater, according to an advisory issued by PHIVOLCS.
Despite the series of ash emissions on Thursday, Phivolcs said that Alert Level 2 still prevails over the volcano, as the agency urged the public to be cautious of ash fall.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Kanlaon Volcano, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson assured the public that the provincial government is fully prepared to respond should Kanlaon Volcano erupt during the upcoming Panaad sa Negros festivities, emphasizing that all disaster response mechanisms and protocols are firmly in place.
“We are ready, not only the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office but the entire province. We’ve gone through this before,” Lacson stated, expressing optimism that volcanic activity will remain stable and not disrupt the celebration.
Despite the confidence, the governor acknowledged the unpredictability of the volcano, admitting that there is still uncertainty regarding the potential magnitude of any future eruption.
Lacson clarified that the government’s response will be strictly based on the alert level status.
“If alert level 3 were to be declared, then we will really have to evacuate people. If it remains at Alert Level 2, we will remain steady.”
The provincial government of Negros Occidental has designated the Panaad Park and Stadium in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod, as among its evacuation sites in case Alert Level 3 is declared.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Negros Occidental is now on blue alert status, in connection with the celebration of Panaad sa Negros Festival, dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the province.
Lacson raised the possibility that rising fuel prices are expected to have an effect on tourism and overall sales during the 30th Panaad sa Negros Festival, due to higher travel costs.
As Filipinos loves to celebrate, the governor expressed his confidence that local government units and other communities will still come out to support their delegations, noting that all 32 LGUs in the province participated in the Lin-ay sang Negros beauty pageant, and are also eager to showcase their respective products and tourist destination areas.
We also have three shows that are gaining ground as far as popularity is concerned, especially the Sex Bomb, Kapamilya Karavan, Ben & Ben, and Parokya Ni Edgar, Lacson said.
The shows are all open to the public, he added.*
