• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Office of Civil Defense reported that P199,608,351.26 in assistance has already been extended to 12,632 families, composed of 48,518 individuals, affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, on December 9 last year.
The assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, local government units, and non-government organizations in Regions 6 and 7, according to a report of the OCD, dated February 13.
The OCD and the respective Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils of Regions 6 and 7 also extended assistance in the amount of P4,329.174.56 to LGUs and government agencies.
As the restiveness of Kanlaon Volcano continues, a total of 2,760 families, comprising 8,803 individuals, are still staying in 23 evacuation centers, while 3,028 displaced families, composed of 9,760 individuals, are staying outside evacuation centers.
Additional evacuation centers are being eyed in the cities of Victorias, Silay, Bacolod, Himamaylan, and San Carlos in Negros Occidental, and Guihulngan in Negros Oriental, in case of another eruption of Kanlaon volcano.
The OCD also reported that 267 of 395 family tents have been set up at the tent city site in Barangay III, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
In addition, two water tanks have been installed.
The tent city, according to OCD, is designated to house evacuees from neighboring local government units (LGUs) should the alert level for Kanlaon Volcano escalate.
In an advisory on Feb. 14, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said it monitored 17 volcanic quakes, the emission of 2,958 tons of sulfur dioxide with plumes as high as 500 meters, from the volcano’s crater.
Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon Volcano, according to PHIVOLCS.*
