• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tourist sites outside the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island may now be opened to visitors.
This was announced yesterday by Regional Director Donato Sermeno III of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology downgraded the unrest status of Kanlaon Volcano from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.
However, the tourist destination areas inside the permanent danger zone will remain closed, Sermeno said.
Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas earlier issued an executive order, lifting the closure of tourism sites affected by Kanlaon eruption in December 9 last year.
Cardenas, however, advised the strict adherence to updated safety guidelines, including restricted access to certain hazardous zones and compliance with evacuation procedures, if necessary.
More than 4,000 internally displaced persons in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, and La Castellana, Negros Occidental have already returned home.
However, 61 families in La Castellana and 19 other families in Canlaon City are still in the evacuation centers as they are prohibited by the OCD to return to their homes located within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone.
Meanwhile, 61 families, composed of 225 IDPs, in La Carlota City are scheduled to return home on Aug. 14.
Some 22 families in Bago City will follow on Aug. 16.
During a meeting of the Protected Area Management Board on Aug. 11 in Bago City, the PAMB approved a resolution for the inclusion of multiple use zone in La Castellana and Canlaon City, located within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone, as part of the strict protection zone.
It was also decided that PAMB will have the final say as to what tourism activities will be allowed within the permanent danger zone, even if there is zero alert level status, Sermeno said.
Alert Level 2 remains in effect at Kanlaon Volcano. | GB
