In the wake of the recent eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan has made a public appeal for better coordination of donations. The mayor visited some of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the eruption and emphasized the importance of working closely with the local government unit (LGU) to manage the influx of aid effectively.
Mayor Nicor-Mangilimutan stressed the necessity of following donation management protocols, especially after an incident where 37 individuals at an evacuation center became ill from donated food. She urged donors, particularly those offering cooked meals, to liaise with the command center’s donation management team to prevent such occurrences and ensure the safety and well-being of the IDPs.
The mayor expressed gratitude for the donations, noting the critical need for food supplies and essential items among the evacuees. She also highlighted the comprehensive support provided by various government levels, from national and regional agencies to local congressional, provincial, municipal, and barangay offices, ensuring that all IDPs in evacuation centers are well cared for.
With 5,670 evacuees from 1,134 families currently sheltered within the extended six-kilometer danger zone, the mayor called for prayers to quell the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon and restore normalcy. The affected residents hail from Barangay Biak na Bato, Cabagnaan, Mansalanao, Sag-ang, and Masulog.
Following the eruption on December 9, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) escalated the volcano’s alert level to 3, signaling ongoing magmatic activity and the potential for further explosive eruptions.