The Negros Oriental provincial government has assumed the support role in disaster response management in Canlaon City this week relative to the restive Mount Kanlaon.
Shalaine Lucero, regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD7), told the Philippine News Agency Feb. 26 that this comes following a series of meetings with the Canlaon LGU and the provincial government last week.
The DSWD 7 Quick Response Team (QRT), led by Disaster Response Management Division chief Lilibeth Cabiara, has provided augmentation and support to the Canlaon LGU for almost three months since the Dec. 9 volcano eruption.
“It is not a full turnover but more of allowing now the province to experience managing the camps because this is in preparation for a possible exodus,” Lucero said, noting a possible Alert Level 4 scenario in case of a major volcanic eruption.
Lucero said that once an “exodus” takes place during a major eruption, the provincial government will play a critical role in managing camps in the different towns and cities where Canlaon residents will be evacuated.
The provincial LGU QRT, headed by Hilton Edrial of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, will continue most of the roles DSWD7 personnel performed in the past months.
Lucero said they have already trained provincial government personnel, as well as those from LGUs near Canlaon City, on camp management and disaster response.
These trained individuals have been immersed with the DSWD7 personnel in the past months at the evacuation camps to familiarize with their roles.
Lucero said she is confident “the provincial LGU is now capable” of camp management and related operations.
The Canlaon LGU is taking the lead in response and management operations, with the provincial government playing a support role, and the DSWD7 providing augmentation.
The turnover involved the reduction of 150 DSWD7 personnel assigned in Negros Oriental and Canlaon City to around eight people at the evacuation camps and support personnel from Social Welfare and Development in Dumaguete City.
Lucero, meanwhile, vowed constant supply and delivery of food and non-food items to Canlaon City. ||
