• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western and Central Visayas said that about 124,600 family food packs (FFPs) are ready for distribution to Negros residents affected by the Mount Kanlaon eruption Dec. 9.
The DSWD6 regional warehouse in Bacolod City has 25,599 FFPs, worth P18.5 million, to respond to the needs of affected families, particularly those displaced due to the volcanic eruption this afternoon.
“DSWD6 also maintains 18 preposition sites in Negros Occidental, with a total of 14,466 FFPs, all strategically placed in different sites so that localities can easily pull-out goods when the need arises,” the agency said in a statement.
The DSWD7 also said that, as of 4 p.m. Dec. 9, a total of 84,537 FFPs and 27,789 non-food items (NFIs) are in the province of Negros Oriental, as the alert level (AL) for Mount Kanlaon was raised by Phivolcs to AL3 this afternoon, from AL2 when it erupted on June 3, or in a span of six months.
As per the Kanlaon Volcano alert scheme, AL3 means “high level of volcanic unrest, with sustained increases in the levels of volcanic earthquakes, some of which may be perceptible,” the Phivolcs said.
More energetic and frequent steam/ash explosions, sustained increases in the temperature, acidity and volcanic gas concentrations of springs and fumaroles (vents that emit hot volcanic gases and vapors without liquids or solids), and in the levels of ground deformation or swelling of the edifice are also the conditions under AL3.
Danger zones may be expanded to a radius of six kilometers from the summit crater or active vent, Phivolcs added.
The DSWD7 Management Committee, led by regional director Shalaine Lucero, meanwhile, assured Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas of the agency’s support of food and nonfood items, including a mobile command center.
She added that the field office already prepositioned goods in Canlaon City and the neighboring City of Guihulngan, and prepared quick response teams and mobile command center for deployment.
In Negros Occidental, three clusters under the disaster response and early recovery pillar – Internally Displaced Persons Protection (IDPs), Food and Non-Food Items, and Camp Coordination and Camp Management – were activated to assist in the Kanlaon operations.
“We want the affected families to know that DSWD is with them in this difficult time. We will provide family food packs as well as nonfood items that they need by providing augmentation to the resources of local government units,” DSWD6 director Arwin Razo said in a statement, adding its quick response team was also activated to ensure speedy and systematic response operations.
Office of the Civil Defense Region 6 director Raul Fernandez said in an emergency meeting that about 46,900 individuals would be affected within the four-to-six-kilometer radius, with Barangay Sag-ang in La Castellana as focus area, with the wind direction going westward.
Disaster response management development staff were being deployed, as of press time, to Negros Occidental to provide necessary intervention, the DSWD6 said, adding its mobile command center is equipped with state-of-the art information and communications technology equipment and could ensure stable communication link, from disaster-stricken areas to the regional operations and command centers. | CGC
