• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. ‘window scheme’ of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which allows farmers to harvest their crops planted within the four to six kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano, is not applicable to the sugar industry, disclosed Negros Occidental 5th district Representative Emilio Bernardino Yulo III on Saturday.
“It is not applicable to the present situation on how the harvesting of sugarcane is done,” said Yulo, who was formerly a board member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, representing sugar planters.
Task Force Kanlaon has allowed supervised farming activities in the danger zone between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m., to help farmers in La Castellana sustain their livelihood, particularly during the harvest season.
Usually, sugarcane is cut by laborers in the afternoon, for stocking. As early as 2 to 3 a.m., they start loading the cane on the trucks. That is not within the window hours allowed by OCD, Yulo said.
The solon also noted that the one who prepared the guidelines is not from the sugar industry, but OCD.
“It’s going to create a problem”, Yulo said, citing a 60-hectare area of sugarcane that is up for harvesting.
While he already brought up the problem with SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona for a solution, Yulo suggested a “dagyaw” or “bayanihan”, the Filipino tradition of working together to achieve a shared objective.
Thousands of Kanlaon evacuees who were residing within the four to six kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano, have yet to return to their respective homes due to its continuing restiveness.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon Volcano.*
