• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Workers of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) research facility in Barangay La Granja, La Carlota City in Negros Occidental have been evacuated due to heavy ashfall triggered by the Kanlaon Volcano explosive eruption on Tuesday, April 8.
The SRA research center has 227 workers.
Some 20 personnel of the facility, majority of which are guards, were tasked to secure the SRA research center.
Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona activated the SRA Disaster Response Team headed by Board Member David Sanson, with all its vehicles ready to deploy when requested by local government units.
Sanson said they are now are closely monitoring the situation of Kanlaon Volcano, with relief supplies now in place if and when needed.
SRA also allocated some P4 million for other emergency supplies, he added.
While the SRA research center equipment are secured, the ashfall may cause damage to its nursery, where they are propagating sugarcane varieties for distribution to farmers in an open field.
The ash fall is acidic and can damage sugarcane crops, Sanson said. | GB
