Kanlaon evacuees: Negros appeals for help

DECEPTIVELY CALM: Mt. Kanlaon looks deceptively calm in this aerial photo of the volcano’s summit taken on Thursday morning. But state volcanologists say another explosive eruption similar to what happened on Monday, Dec. 9, can still happen. —PHOTO COURTESY OF TASK FORCE KANLAON

BACOLOD CITY— An appeal for assistance for the  at least 33,806 individuals, who now have to be sheltered as the volcano continues to be restive, has been made by local leaders in areas affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Negros Island.

The province’s resources would not be enough to cater to the needs of evacuees as well as for rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts, said Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, in an interview on Thursday.

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“[Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro] mentioned to me that we will now be going to the President to ask him for additional funds to take care of our affected constituents. So we are hoping for the best,” the governor said.

The provincial government also called for a price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities in Negros Occidental in order to “curb predatory pricing” by businesses and hoarding of goods in the entire province.

Lacson asked businessmen, especially those selling face masks, not to take advantage of the situation.

“In fact by keeping the price where it stands, we are actually helping the victims of the eruption of Kanlaon,” he said.

State of calamity

Mt. Kanlaon, which straddles the provinces of Negros Occidental and Oriental, continued to remain calm on Thursday, three days after its explosive eruption last Monday that prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to raise its alert level from 2 (increasing unrest) to 3 (magmatic unrest).

The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) on Thursday passed a resolution recommending the declaration of a state of calamity in the province to fund the rising costs of an ongoing massive evacuation.

The PDRRMC, in its resolution, said displaced individuals face not only respiratory health problems resulting from ashfall but also the hazards associated with contaminated food and water resources.

Lacson said he has endorsed the resolution to the Provincial Board which is expected to approve it in a special session on Friday.

The declaration of a state of calamity, he said, is urgent and necessary to enable the provincial government to use its P78 million quick response fund to aid the evacuees.

It will also allow other local governments in the province to help the affected areas by using their quick response funds.

“In fact many of our local governments have been asking when we can declare this state of calamity because they would like to help those affected (by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon),” Lacson said.

Evacuation figures

He pointed out that the 33,806 residents living within the 6-kilometer radius from the summit of the volcano that have to be evacuated was just the “minimum” figure.

As of Thursday afternoon, 12,742 persons were already in evacuation centers in Negros Occidental and the number was still rising. The evacuees were from the towns of La Castellana (9,536) and Pontevedra (721) and the cities of La Carlota City (2,345) and Bago (140).

In Negros Oriental’s Canlaon City, 863 families or 2,819 individuals had also evacuated, according to the Philippine News Agency.

While Mt. Kanlaon has cooled down, the Phivolcs said the public could not be complacent as another eruption was still possible.

“It could be the calm before the storm,” said Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol, who joined an aerial survey of the volcano on Thursday.

“There is always a possibility that there may be a hazardous eruption. We don’t want that to happen this Christmas but we cannot control the behavior of the volcano,” Bacolcol said.

Donation drives

Bishops Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos City and Patricio Buzon of Bacolod City separately appealed for donations for those affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.

“Another danger or risk of being frequently visited by natural calamities is we become immune and indifferent. Yet the worst of times can truly be the best of times to give witness to our faith that we are all interconnected in God,” said Alminaza, in a statement on Wednesday.

Buzon, for his part, said an appeal for donations will be made in all churches in the Diocese of Bacolod on Sunday, Dec. 15.

The Diocese of Kabankalan, in a Facebook post, also called on the faithful to show love and empathy with the evacuees sheltered at the St. Vincent Ferrer Shrine in La Castellana town.

Donations such as food, water, face masks, hygiene kits, toiletries, sleeping mats, and bedding, may be dropped or delivered to the nearest parish in their area while cash donations may be sent to Fr. Ricon Dagunan via GCash 0917-7716917.