• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Tourism-related activities, parties and social gatherings are being prohibited within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island, which remains on Alert Level 3 after its latest eruption on Dec. 9.
In an advisory, the Department of Tourism (DOT) suspended the trekking, swimming, farm site visits and day tours, in the cities of La Carlota and Bago, and towns of La Castellana and Murcia in Negros Occidental as well as in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, where some villages have been affected by heavy ashfall.
While no injuries, fatalities or stranded tourists have been reported, the DOT strongly advised travelers to avoid destinations within the six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ) and areas heavily affected by ashfall.
In Canlaon City, Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas also prohibits the holding of parties and gatherings and suspended social activities within the six-kilometer radius of the volcano.
In La Castellana, Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan suspended the Christmas lights-on ceremony set Dec. 12 to 14 in Barangays Cabacungan, Mansalanao and Poblacion.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has strongly recommended the evacuation of all residents within the six-kilometer radius PDZ.
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II considered the possibility that evacuees would spend Christmas in the evacuation centers, as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) wants them to stay for at least three weeks, pending observation of the volcano’s activities.
Diaz said that Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has ordered the preparation of a three-week food provision for the affected residents.
Based on the OCD report, about 10,993 families, composed of 37,699 persons, affected by the latest eruption, are now staying in 29 evacuation centers in Regions 6 and 7.
Mangilimutan expressed concern that if all the 8,000 families, composed of 33,000 persons, who are residing within the six-kilometer PDZ will go down, they cannot be accommodated in the town’s 11 evacuation centers.
Bracing for a worst-case scenario, Mangilimutan said they will bring La Castellana’s displaced persons to neighboring local government units such as Isabela, Pontevedra and Himamaylan City, if the alert level of Kanlaon will be raised.
As of Tuesday night, there are about 2,809 families, composed of 9,288 individuals, staying at the evacuation centers of La Castellana, which is the hardest hit area.
While supply of potable water remains stable, with the help of neighboring LGUs and national government agencies, as well as the private sector, Mangilimutan said they are facing shortage of rice supply.
Meanwhile, Diaz said they are also readying the Panaad Sports Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, which can accommodate 5,000 persons, for acceptance of affected residents.
The provincial government also earmarked 3,000 liters of fuel for use by the affected LGUs and Philippine National Police in the transport of affected residents, and sent food packs, 288 five-gallon containers filled with potable water, face masks and hygiene kits, to the affected LGUs. | GB
