In the wake of the Mt. Kanlaon eruption, the local government of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, has stepped up to assist displaced farmers in selling their produce, helping them maintain their livelihoods while residing in evacuation centers. On January 14, 2025, these farmers, with the aid of the Municipal Agriculture Office, were able to market a variety of high-value crops such as cabbage, beans, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, pechay, radishes, and sweet potatoes.
Jeramae Salapante, the officer-in-charge municipal agriculturist of La Castellana, explained that the farmers were granted limited access to their farms by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). They harvested their crops during specific hours and transported them to the market. Salapante highlighted that this initiative allowed the farmers to sell their produce at better prices, thereby increasing their income. This was discussed during her appearance on the Philippine Information Agency Hour on Radyo Negrense.
The peak harvest season for these commercial crops, which are grown in the upland barangays of Masulog, Cabagna-an, Mansalanao, and Sag-ang, typically occurs in December. Following the eruption on December 9, 2024, the OCD permitted internally displaced persons (IDPs) to enter the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. for essential activities.
To facilitate the transport of farm products, the La Castellana LGU issued truck passes for vehicles to enter the restricted area. Additionally, the LGU reactivated a trading center next to the Municipal Agriculture Office, where farmers could sell their produce directly to local market vendors and food managers of community kitchens in evacuation centers. Salapante noted that the food consumed by the IDPs was sourced from the produce of IDP farmers.
The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office also played a role by purchasing the farmers’ produce in bulk for distribution to beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom: Food Stamp Program, run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Furthermore, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist Marketing Division helped sell the farmers’ produce online to provincial government employees.
According to the latest figures from the La Castellana Incident Management Team, 4,312 individuals from 1,410 families across five villages are still housed in six evacuation centers within the municipality.