In response to the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, the Negros Occidental Provincial Board has declared the entire province to be in a state of calamity. The decision came after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) escalated the volcano’s alert level to 3, signaling the start of a magmatic eruption that could lead to more explosive events. This declaration was made on Friday, following a recommendation from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) the previous day.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, briefed by La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan during his visit on Wednesday, now has the authority to tap into the province’s quick response fund (QRF). This fund, amounting to approximately PHP78 million, is 30 percent of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and is designated for relief and recovery efforts to help those affected return to normalcy swiftly.
Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who led the special session, emphasized the importance of providing financial assistance to those who have suffered damage due to the eruption. The Provincial Board also endorsed the PDRRMC’s request to implement a price freeze on essential goods and commodities across the province to prevent price gouging and hoarding.
The eruption has impacted 5,082 families, totaling 17,216 individuals, in the cities of Bago and La Carlota, and the municipalities of La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Murcia, and Pontevedra. Currently, 3,611 families, comprising 12,101 people, are sheltered in 22 evacuation centers, with La Castellana being the most severely affected area. The PDRRMC reports that 33,806 individuals within a six-kilometer radius of the volcano are being supported by the province’s contingency plan.