• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office VI reported that it has P144 million worth of food and non-food items available for Kanlaon response operations.
The DSWD FO VI also identified the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, as the evacuation center for La Castellana, La Carlota, Bago City, San Carlos City, and Moises Padilla residents, in case the ongoing unrest of Mt. Kanlaon escalates.
“We are prepared to immediately respond to the needs of the affected families due to the recently observed unrest of Mt. Kanlaon,” said its regional director, Atty. Carmelo Nochete.
Additionally, the DSWD also has P3 million in standby funds.
Through its Disaster Response Management Division, Nochete, said in a statement that they have already prepositioned food and non-food items at La Castellana, Negros Occidental, which had the most number of affected families during the Mt. Kanlaon eruption on June 3, 2024.
He added that DSWD is working closely with the Emergency Operations Center of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council for situation updates and synchronized actions.
DSWD6 has inspected the evacuation areas for Kanlaon response operations.
DSWD FO VI said it already capacitated concerned local government units on camp coordination and management, and internally displaced persons protection, to ensure the safety and security of IDPs, and the proper handling of evacuation centers.
On the other hand, the municipal government of La Castellana headed by Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan also conducted a simulation exercise (SIMEX) as part of their preparations due to the ongoing unrest of Mt. Kanlaon, as recommended by DSWD.
This ensures the readiness of the LGU evacuation centers, availability of emergency vehicles for the transportation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) to evacuation centers.
Part of the SIMEX was revisiting the situation and lessons learned during June 3 phreatic explosion of Kanlaon volcano, in order to ensure smooth disaster response operations.*
