• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is preparing to establish tent cities in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental and Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental to accommodate more internally displaced persons (IDPs) should Mt. Kanlaon erupt anew.
OCD-Negros Island Region Director Donato Sermeno III said that the Vallhermoso tent city will accommodate the projected 55,000 evacuees from Canlaon City.
The OCD is also preparing for Plan Exodus, which involves the evacuation of the entire City of Canlaon.
OCD-Central Visayas Director Joel Erestain earlier stressed the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario, raising the possibility that Canlaon City will be buried, if Mt. Kanlaon will erupt again.
“It is not literally that it will be erased from the map,” Sermeno said, explaining that evacuation centers within the 10-kilometer radius will have to be moved further outside of Canlaon City.
If there is an eruption, it is a must to go out of the 14-kilometer radius to avoid being hit by pyroclastic materials, he added.
The OCD has identified Himamaylan City to host the tent city to accommodate evacuees from La Castellana.
Sermeno said the OCD central office already sent 1,350 family tents, which are temporarily stored in San Carlos City, a neighboring local government unit of Vallehermoso town in Negros Oriental.
Also, 390 family tents are now on the way to Himamaylan City.
He also requested earth pads or rubber matting, in anticipation of rains that may hit the tent cities.
Sermeno, however, said they have to use first the covered areas.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he will seek clarification from Task Force Kanlaon commander Raul Fernandez on how to maintain the tent city in Himamaylan.
Lacson said he has not heard from Himamaylan City, if they are ready to accept and feed the evacuees.
Sermeno said the management of the tent city will be spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. | GB
