• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Bago City in Negros Occidental, which is among the local government units affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Dec. 9, declared a state of calamity on Monday, Dec. 16, to utilize its P18-million Quick Response Fund (QRF) aimed at helping its displaced residents.
In a press briefing, Mayor Nicholas Yulo said that all the 24 barangays of Bago City were affected by the ashfall, with 113 families, consisting of 366 individuals, now staying in four evacuation centers.
He identified the worst affected barangays as Ilijan, Mailum, Binubuhan and Ma-ao.
The declaration of a state calamity as endorsed by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) was approved by the Bago City Council during its special session on Monday.
It is aimed to expedite relief operations, mobilize resources and enhance coordination among government agencies and stakeholders to address the needs of affected communities as well as impose a price freeze on basic goods to prevent predatory pricing and hoarding.
Yulo said that the city government’s QRF, estimated at P18 million, may only last until January next year.
Meanwhile, the local government of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental has sounded alarm on the depletion of its QRF.
A total of 1,619 families, comprising 5,229 individuals, have been accommodated in evacuation camps.
This prompted the city government to seek financial aid from the national government as its QRF nears depletion after it was reduced from P11 million to P4.7 million, as of Dec. 15, following its utilization since Dec. 9 eruption.
“With the influx of residents forcibly evacuated from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon, comprising five barangays, the LGU (local government unit) has to spend an estimated P600,000 to P700,000 on their needs,” Edna Lhou Masicampo, city public information officer-designate, said.
The Mt. Kanlaon eruption also caused P763,923 in damage to agriculture sector in Negros Occidental, affecting 78 hectares of rice, high value crops and corn.
The Office of the Civil Defense warned of a potential lahar hazard flow from Kanlaon volcano, which may endanger 644,487 residents in 13 cities and municipalities on Negros Island, as rains started to hit the areas of the volcano.
With a potential low pressure area expected in the coming weeks, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned of the increased risk of ashfall turning into lahar. | GB
