• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is speeding up the establishment of Mt. Kanlaon emergency shelter tents to accommodate families from Barangay Cabagnaan in La Castellana, Negros Occidental who moved out of school-based evacuation centers.
OCD-Negros Island Region regional director Donato Sermeno III said on Monday (June 16) they have initially sent 180 emergency shelter tents to house 369 families who decamped La Castellana Elementary School.
Sermeno said these families, who are from communities located within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone, are temporarily staying at the La Castellana National High School, with the consent of school officials, pending their relocation to a temporary camp in Barangay Mansalanao.
Others will occupy the 90 emergency tents already established at Villa Cana in Barangay Robles, he added.
With the onset of the rainy season, Sermeno admitted it will be a challenge for the OCD to ensure that the internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be protected from rains.
Remuel Lajo, La Castellana public information officer, said the IDPs from Barangays Biak Na Bato, Mansalanao, Masulog and Sag-ang were also transferred from the poblacion evacuation centers to their respective barangay covered courts.
Others have decided to stay in their relatives, he added.
Alert Level 3 still prevails over Kanlaon Volcano.
Meanwhile, about 2,000 IDPs in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental have transferred to modular tents to allow the schools that were used as evacuation centers to open on Monday.
Edna Lhou Masicampo, Canlaon City public information officer, said that OCD donated the tents to accommodate the IDPs in the six schools that were previously utilized as evacuation centers.
“The IDPs are in the sheltered tents and not in the classrooms. They will not be sharing the facilities with the teachers and the learners,” Masicampo said.
As of Monday, 763 families with 2,455 individuals are inside the evacuation centers, she added.
The tents are located on the campuses but these will not hamper the ongoing classes as they are situated away from the school buildings. | GB with PNA reports
