• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Protected Area Management Board of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park has unanimously approved a resolution during its en banc meeting on Thursday, requesting Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Raphael Lotilla to authorize Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to issue a special permit for the clearing of lahar sediments at a creek in Sitio Tamburong, Brgy. Biak-na-Bato in La Castellana town.
Lacson earlier bared his plan of tapping commercial contractors to speed up the clearing of volcanic materials from the Ibid creek, as they could not depend on the equipment of the provincial government, and those from La Castellana, as it will take longer to accomplish.
Lacson, who attended the PAMB en banc meeting, presided by its chairman, Charlie Fabre, who is also the DENR regional director for Negros Island Region, said the issuance of a special permit will help hasten the clearing of volcanic sediments, estimated at 25,189 cubic meters, based on the reports of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), as of September 24.
The special permit would also grant the governor the authority to manage the utilization of sand, stone, and moulding stones extracted during the dredging process for rehabilitation and reconstruction projects within La Castellana.
Lacson said that commercial contractors would be required to pay fees to the provincial government for the materials, which is similar to quarry operations but limited to lahar extraction.
The MGB has recommended that the stockpiles of lahar deposits at the creek should be removed and transferred to designated sites to prevent erosion and remobilization of materials during intense rains, which could lead to further accumulation along the Ibid Creek.
Given the recurring flooding and lahar flow events that pose significant risk to residential areas situated along the Ibid creek, MGB has strongly recommended that during impending flood events, residents should not be in the area, with the exception of disaster response personnel.
Donato Sermeno III, Office of the Civil Defense regional director for NIR, said they have not monitored any lahar flow, as of yesterday.
However, he disclosed the possibility of lahar flow due to anticipated heavy rains.
The OCD-NIR has recommended the preemptive evacuation of residents in Sitio Tamburong, Barangay Biak-na-Bato in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, in the event of heavy rains.*
