In the wake of the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, the safety of displaced residents, known as internally displaced persons (IDPs), remains the top priority for the national government. This was highlighted by Raul Fernandez, the Regional Director of the Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas (OCD-6), during a press conference at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City. Fernandez, alongside representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), stressed the ongoing threat posed by the volcano, which remains in an unrest mode with the potential for further eruptions.
The eruption on December 9 led to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raising the alert level to 3, signaling the start of a magmatic eruption and the possibility of more explosive events. This prompted the evacuation of residents within a six-kilometer radius of the volcano, designated as the permanent danger zone (PDZ).
According to the latest data from DSWD in Regions 6 and 7, a total of 6,370 families, or 20,541 individuals, have been displaced. These IDPs are spread across several locations, including the cities of Bago, La Carlota, San Carlos, and La Castellana in Negros Occidental, as well as Canlaon City in Negros Oriental. La Castellana, with six villages at the base of Mt. Kanlaon, hosts the highest number of IDPs, with 2,121 families or 6,886 individuals in 11 evacuation centers.
Fernandez acknowledged the challenges in providing sustenance for the IDPs but emphasized the importance of keeping residents outside the six-kilometer PDZ in evacuation centers for their safety. He noted that if the alert level were to rise to 4, the PDZ would expand to a 10-kilometer radius, potentially affecting an additional 12,729 families or 51,570 people across seven local government units (LGUs), including Murcia and Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental.
The government’s goal is to achieve zero casualties, with full support from President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro, who chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Fernandez urged local governments to tackle the crisis with resilience, unity, and cooperation.
Financial assistance has been provided by the Office of the President, with PHP50 million allocated to Negros Occidental and PHP60 million to Negros Oriental. The DSWD has also contributed significantly, with PHP72.431 million in food and non-food items distributed to both provinces, part of a total assistance package of PHP103.648 million to the affected LGUs. Additional support from local governments, non-government organizations, and other donors totals PHP31.216 million. The DSWD maintains a standby fund and stockpile of family food packs and prepositioned items worth PHP244.379 million to continue aiding the affected communities.