• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Almost 50 percent of the targeted 500 family tents have already been established at the evacuation center in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, Donato Sermeno III, Office of the Civil Defense regional director for Negros Island Region disclosed on Tuesday.
Sermeno disclosed that reservists and regular members of the Philippine Army, as well as volunteers from different sectors of society, offered their services to put up the family tents, presently numbered at 128.
The “tent city” in Himamaylan City is among the areas being eyed as an evacuation center for the approximately 37,000 residents of La Castellana, if Alert Level 4 is declared.
As of yesterday, Alert Level 3 remains hoisted over Kanlaon volcano.
Sermeno said he expects that the tent city, which will be secured by the Philippine Army, will be completed and operational by the end of February.
He added that the food for internally displaced individuals (IDPs) that are temporarily housed in the tent city will be provided by the local government units, with assistance from the Department of Social Services and Development.
The cities of La Carlota and Silay in Negros Occidental have also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), establishing a sisterhood agreement focused on disaster preparedness and emergency response.
La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalando-on and Silay City Mayor Joedith Gallego formalized the partnership to enhance coordination and support between the two cities, by recently signing a MOA.
The agreement reinforces both cities’ commitment to collaboration in disaster response, ensuring a more unified and effective approach during emergencies.
La Carlota City is among the LGUs in central Negros affected by the continuing restiveness of Kanlaon volcano.*