• CHERYL G. CRUZ
A Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan (KRDP), which will serve as the strategic plan for recovery and resilience of communities affected by the eruption of the volcano in Negros, was discussed June 5 during the National Task Force Kanlaon (NTFK) second meeting.
The KRDP formulation, drafting, and technical refinement will be led by the NTFK Technical Working Group, which will also assess volcanic hazards, risks, and disaster response strategies, and draft the technical guidelines.
The meeting at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City was attended by key officials from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Disaster Response Management Group (DSWD-DRMG), and other members of the NTFK.
The NTFK was formed per Administrative Order 32, signed April 24 this year by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to address volcanic threats and protect communities in the Negros Island, the DSWD-DRMG said in a statement.
“Its creation signifies a move toward a more localized, responsive disaster management in the Philippines, focusing on immediate aid and long-term recovery for communities vulnerable to natural hazards,” it added.
The DSWD-Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication, meanwhile, said that, as of June 5, a total of P289.9 million worth of assistance was provided to families affected by the volcano unrest since its major eruption Dec. 9 last year.
Of the assistance, P185.4 million came from the DSWD, P32.4 million from local government units, P33.6 million from nongovernment organizations, and P38.4 million from other partners, the DROMIC report showed.
There are 2,427 families, or 7,823 persons, currently taking shelter in 22 evacuation centers in the island, most of them in Negros Occidental, with 1,684 affected families, or 5,433 individuals.
The rest of the 743 affected families, or 2,390 individuals, are in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, the DSWD-DROMIC said.
It added that 6,222 families, or 20,040 persons, are still displaced since Alert Level 3 was raised over Mount Kanlaon. | CGC
