Philippine Red Cross personnel continue to assist the evacuees in La Castellana*PRC photo
The Negros Occidental provincial government has enough funds from the national government and its 2024 budget to feed the evacuees displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest for another month, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday, April 3.
There are 5,657 evacuees who remain in evacuation centers in Negros Occidental, with 77 in Bago City, 1,111 in La Carlota City, 4,264 in La Castellana, and 205 in San Carlos City, , Regional Director Donato Sermeno III of the Office of Civil Defense Negros Island Region said.
The majority of them have been staying in the evacuation centers for nearly four months, having left their homes when Kanlaon Volcano erupted on Dec. 9
They will not be allowed to go home as long as the alert level at Kanlaon Volcano remains at three, Lacson said.
Lacson said the provincial government is continuing to provide food to the evacuees for as long as Alert Level 3 remains.
“There is still a budget for food for another month but we can already foresee in the near future that it might be a concern already”, he said.
The provincial government might have to use its quick response fund from its 2025 budget to serve the evacuees needs when the P50 million fund from the Office of the President runs out, Lacson said.
He said local governments like La Castellana, which has the most number of evacuees, are appealing for more aid from the national government.*