• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Victorias City government is ready to accommodate 500 evacuees from La Carlota City in case of another eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said on Thursday, Feb. 13.
Benitez said a memorandum of agreement (MOA) is soon to be signed between him and La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalandoon.
The evacuation center in Victorias City will serve as the temporary shelter for La Carlota City evacuees.
The San Carlos City government also prepared two sites for evacuees coming from Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo also signed a MOA with Mayor Filomeno Reyes to accommodate the evacuees from Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
The tent city in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental is also being earmarked by the Office of Civil Defense for the evacuees from La Castellana.
Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, commander of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, said they also have a contingency plan should the volcano’s alert level be raised from 3 to 4.
If a major eruption occurs, about 75,000 families will be affected in La Castellana, La Carlota, San Carlos and Bago in Negros Occidental aside from those in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Should this happen, the permanent danger zone will be extended by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology from six kilometers to 12 kilometers. | GB
