In the shadow of the recent eruptions of Mt. Kanlaon, the resilient community of La Castellana in Negros Occidental came together to celebrate the Christmas season with a traditional ‘Lights On’ ceremony at the town plaza. The event, held on the evening of December 23, 2024, was a beacon of hope and unity for the residents, who have been grappling with the volcano’s increased activity.
Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan, who spearheaded the ceremony themed ‘Continents of the World,’ addressed the gathering shortly after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported heightened ash emissions. She expressed her determination to bring some joy to the community despite the challenges, having coordinated with various government offices to allow the lighting event to proceed in the town center.
The municipality is currently hosting over 6,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in nine evacuation centers, following mandatory evacuations from villages near the volcano’s base, including Biak na Bato, Cabagna-an, Camandag, Masulog, Mansalanao, and Sag-ang. The mayor acknowledged the strain on resources, noting that the local disaster fund of over PHP14 million, with PHP4.485 million allocated as Quick Response Fund, is being stretched thin, with nearly PHP1 million needed daily to feed the IDPs.
Despite the financial and emotional toll of the eruptions, which marked the second and third incidents this year, the municipal government staff rallied to make the ‘Lights On’ ceremony a reality. Mayor Nicor-Mangilimutan emphasized the importance of maintaining the Christmas spirit and encouraged her constituents to remain strong and pray for the cessation of the volcano’s unrest.
The recent eruption on December 9 prompted Phivolcs to elevate the alert level to 3, signaling a heightened risk of sudden and potentially more violent eruptions, posing significant threats to nearby communities.