• CHERYL G. CRUZ
La Carlota Mayor Rex Jalando-on said Feb. 22 that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian have approved his request to extend financial aid to all registered internally-displaced persons (IDPs) residing outside of evacuation centers and have been affected by the continuing Mount Kanlaon unrest.
The commitment was made Feb. 21 during Marcos’ visit to the La Carlota South Elementary School 2, where some 100 families, or 385 individuals, have been taking shelter since the Dec. 9 Kanlaon eruption.
During his visit, Marcos and Gatchalian led the distribution of food packs and P5,000 in cash to each IDP family staying at the City Main Evacuation Center, La Carlota North Elementary School, La Carlota City College-Cubay Campus, and the La Carlota South Elementary School 2.
La Carlota currently has 323 families, or 1,111 individuals housed in evacuation centers, while 1,221 families or 3,815 individuals remain displaced outside of these facilities.
Recognizing the significant number of IDPs outside of evacuation centers and their ongoing hardships, Jalando-on directly appealed to Marcos, who readily approved the request, the city said.
The financial assistance is set to be distributed within two weeks, as per assurance from the president and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Marcos has seen the need to form a national task force composed of vital government agencies, along with local government units, to formulate a long-term redevelopment plan for communities affected by the eruption of Kanlaon volcano.
During a situation briefing in La Carlota, Marcos emphasized the importance of further synergizing government responses and preparedness on natural disasters.
“Let’s decide what are the agencies that should be involved (in the task force). And then sit down together with all the relevant agencies, and put together a plan,” he added.
The President ordered the national task force to be led by the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and pushed for the building of permanent evacuation centers for displaced residents, the Presidential Communications Office said Feb. 22.
Such centers must be located outside the six-kilometer expanded danger zone, he added.
Currently, 2,660 families, or 8,509 individuals displaced by the continuing volcano unrest are in 23 evacuation centers in Western and Central Visayas.
An additional 90,000 people may be evacuated if the alert is raised to Level 4, OCD administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, said.
The Dec. 9 eruption has impacted 12,632 families, or 48,528 individuals, across 28 cities and municipalities, the PCO said, adding the government has provided P95.6 million in assistance and prepositioned P144.04 million worth of relief supplies for affected areas. | CGC
