• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The schedule of release of the P203-million fund promised by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to Kanlaon affected communities, especially La Castellana town, is not yet certain.
Regional Director Donato Sermeno of the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) said the funds have yet to be downloaded to the concerned local government units (LGUs) by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF).
During a consultation-dialogue organized by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday, Sermeno said the affected LGUs should make a personal follow up with the DBM as advised by the DILG.
OCD-NIR records showed 1,883 families, composed of 6,032 persons, are still occupying the evacuation centers in Canlaon City in Negros Oriental as well as in the cities of Bago and La Carlota, and municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental.
Of the P203 million earmarked for Kanlaon affected communities, La Castellana will get P48.521 million; La Carlota City – P63.097 million; Canlaon City – P29.723 million; and Himamaylan City, where a tent city is being established, P62.539 million.
The supplementary fund is expected to help LGUs address gaps in essential services and resources in their respective communities, seven months into the evacuation of residents following the Dec. 9, 2024 explosive eruption of the volcano.
Sermeno said the P203 million requested by the affected LGUs was endorsed by the OCD to Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who also forwarded and favorably endorsed it to the Office of President, thinking it will be taken from the contingency funds.
It was later found out that it will be taken from the LGSF of the DBM, which got stuck until now, Sermeno said.
The DILG explained that many LGUs have pending requests to avail of funds from the LGSF, and that it should be followed up by the affected LGUs, he added.
Meanwhile, Sermeno said that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology maintains that there should be no human activity within the six-kilometer extended danger zone.
He, however, said the LGUs have the final say, as they respect their autonomy.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3 since its explosive eruption last December, indicating that “magmatic eruption has begun and may progress to further explosive eruptions.” | GB
