• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Despite opposition from the Office of Civil Defense, allowing the return of IDPs residing outside of 6 kilometer permanent danger zone, more evacuees from the local government units of La Castellana, cities of La Carlota and Bago in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Occidental, have been sent home by their respective local government units.
Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management officer John de Asis reported yesterday that 1,000 internally displaced persons, who are residents of barangays Sag-ang, Mansalanao, and Cabagnaan in La Castellana, were allowed to go home.
De Asis reported that they are the evacuees residing outside of the 6-kilometer danger zone of Kanlaon volcano, who left their homes due to heavy ashfall during the December 9 eruption.
He said they are targeting to decamp about 2,000 evacuees.
About 5,000 evacuees are still occupying different evacuation centers in La Castellana.
Another 128 families decamped in Bago City, Negros Occidental, and 278 families in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, according to Donato Sermeno III, the regional director of the OCD Negros Island Region.
Mayor Rex Jalandoon also reported that seven families were also allowed to go home in La Carlota City.
In a press briefing on Jan. 8, Task Force Kanlaon chief Raul Fernandez, was in disagreement with the decision of local chief executives to allow IDPs to return home, even if they are located outside the 6-kilometer danger zone, stressing that Kanlaon remains unpredictable.
With the volcano still at Alert Level 3, the risk of eruption remains high. If another eruption happens, it will be chaotic to evacuate the multitude of people again, including those who were allowed to go home, Fernandez pointed out.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, however, said “we are still within the guidelines (of Alert Level 3). If you live beyond the 6-kilometer danger zone, it’s up to the LGUs to allow them to go home or not, Lacson added.
He admitted that it is difficult for those living outside of the 6-kilometer danger zone to understand why they are inside evacuation centers.
In case of another eruption, those allowed to home are willing to evacuate again, if the need arises, the governor said.
Fernandez urged residents affected by the Kanlaon eruptions to exercise patience and endurance amid the volcano’s ongoing restiveness.
“The government is facing the problem head-on and is batting for zero casualty,” he said, “Do not give up yet. Nature is just testing our resilience,” the Task Force Kanlaon chief added.*
