• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
After staying in the evacuation centers for more than eight months, the remaining 61 families displaced by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano in December last year returned to their respective homes in Sitio Guintubdan, Barangay Ara-al, La Carlota, Negros Occidental yesterday.
The internally displaced persons (IDPs) composed of 225 individuals were given GI sheets to replace the roofs of their houses damaged by ashfalls and P1,800 financial assistance each of the returning households, Mayor Jose Luis Jalandoni said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region and La Carlota City Quick Response Team helped the IDPs in returning home as allowed by the Office of Civil Defense after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology downgraded the unrest status of Kanlaon Volcano from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.
Also 22 displaced families, composed of 81 individuals, are returning home on Aug. 16 in Purok Manokan, Barangay Ilijan, Bago City, Dr. Merijene Ortizo, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said.
The dislocated families have been staying at the evacuation center in Barangay Napoles.
With concurrence of the Bago City Council and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Ortizo said that Mayor Marina Javellana-Yao will give P10,000 financial assistance each to the 22 returning families aside from the painted galvanized sheet roofing materials.
“They need to rebuild their lives back,” Ortizo said. | GB
