In a proactive move, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Visayas (DSWD-6) has stockpiled 25,599 family food packs valued at PHP18.5 million in Bacolod City to aid those impacted by the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Occidental. Regional Director Arwin Razo, alongside Disaster Response Management Division Chief Erlyn Garcia, supervised the distribution of these essential supplies on Tuesday.
Razo emphasized the agency’s commitment to supporting local government units by supplementing their resources with necessary food and non-food items. The latest figures from DSWD indicate that 1,959 families, comprising 6,396 individuals across 13 barangays in Bago City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra, have been severely affected. Currently, 1,942 families, totaling 6,334 people, are sheltered in 12 evacuation centers.
The eruption, which occurred at 3:03 p.m. on Monday, prompted the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to elevate Mt. Kanlaon’s alert status from Level 2 to Level 3, signaling a magmatic unrest that could lead to more explosive activity. In response, DSWD-6 has mobilized three disaster response clusters focused on protecting displaced persons, distributing relief supplies, and managing evacuation camps.
Razo highlighted the importance of the quick response team’s activation, which is crucial for ensuring a swift and organized response to the crisis. ‘Our primary objective is to provide immediate assistance and safeguard the well-being of the affected families during this challenging time,’ he stated.