• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region and local government units affected by the moderately explosive eruption of Mount Kanlaon yesterday afternoon, Feb. 19, are prepared to deploy response teams and logistics to assist residents.
There are 223,608 family food packs, 10,549 boxes of ready-to-eat food (RTEF), and 16,264 non-food items (NFIs), among others, ready for distribution to affected residents, especially those who evacuated following the eruption.
This is the first moderate explosion since the Phivolcs lowered the volcano’s alert status, from magmatic unrest (Level 3) to moderate level (Alert 2) on July 29 last year.
The DSWD-NIR City Action Team of Canlaon said it also actively participated in a coordination meeting with the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to strengthen preparedness measures due to the latest volcanic activity.
The meeting focused on contingency planning, identification of potential evacuation centers, and resource mobilization, with roles and responsibilities of each office clarified to ensure a coordinated and timely response, it added.
Canlaon Mayor Batchuk Cardenas, meanwhile, suspended classes in all levels, both public and private, in the city today, Feb. 20, due to the eruption.
“Our rescue vehicles are on standby at Pasayaw grounds, and our emergency response teams ready and alert for any possible emergency or evacuation,” Cardenas said as he urged his constituents to keep calm and assess situation in their area.
“If you feel that your area is dangerous or unsafe, please evacuate to the nearest pick-up points or the safest place,” he told residents.
In La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, hot meals and hygiene kits were immediately provided to 31 families, or 109 individuals from Brgy. Ara-al, who evacuated and now staying at the La Carlota South Elementary School 1.
The La Carlota LGU has also mobilized its emergency response operations, and distributed essential supplies to affected communities, including hygiene kits, folding beds, and facemasks.
Water containers were also prepared for distribution to ensure that critical resources are available as the city continues to monitor the situation and assist Mangkasanons in need, the LGU said in a post.
The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) also immediately activated its contingency and response measures.
Per orders of PRO-NIR director, P/BGen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, all chiefs of police and force commanders, particularly those within the identified danger zones and adjacent municipalities, have been ordered to implement proactive measures to ensure public safety and security, its press release said.
Personnel have been deployed to conduct intensified monitoring of high-risk areas, assist in traffic management, secure evacuation centers, and ensure the readiness of mobility and communication assets, the PRO-NIR said. “All units have likewise been directed to submit real-time situational reports to ensure timely and coordinated response.”
It urged the public to remain vigilant, follow the directives of local authorities, and prioritize safety at all times. | CGC
