• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
Vice President Sara Duterte delivered 25 kilos of rice to 2,615 families who have been displaced by the Kanlaon volcano eruption in the Municipality of La Castellana and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday.
Duterte said the sacks of rice were donated by a businessman from Bacolod City.
The Vice President also visited evacuation centers to talk with internally displaced persons (IDP) to know their different concerns. She said there were IDPs in evacuation centers in Barangay Cabagnaan, La Castellana who wanted to return to their homes since their livelihood has already been affected.
La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Mangilimutan also shared her difficulty in feeding IDPs in different evacuation centers since their funds have been depleted. Duterte assured her that they will help in providing rice to support their community meals.
Mangilimutan said their main concern is to provide the affected families in her municipality permanent relocation sites that are to be purchased by the government, as well as their livelihood.
Meanwhile, Duterte said they have already distributed 25 kilos of rice to 6,500 farmer-beneficiaries from Canlaon and La Castellana last year. They have also distributed 10,000 10 kilo rice packs before the end of 2024 to La Castellana, La Carlota City, Pontevedra, and Canlaon City, and a total of 8,000 relief boxes to various evacuation sites, including 5,000 sleeping mats and blankets.
They have also deployed their Kalusugan Food truck to La Castellana evacuation centers which has served nearly 4,000 evacuees in two weeks, and conducted medical missions for nearly 1,000 evacuees in three days in La Castellana and Canlaon City. About 25 evacuees were beneficiaries of their MTD program, and they distributed 100,000 face masks to areas affected by ash fall.*
