Preparations for the tent city in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, does not mean that internally displaced people (IDP) will have to immediately be moved there, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Friday, Jan.17.
He pointed out that Kanlaon Volcano is still under Alert Level 3 and the Office of Civil Defense is preparing for a worst-case scenario if Alert Level 4 is raised.
Those from the expanded 6-kilometer danger zone are already in evacuation centers in their localities, he said.
IDPs from outside the 6-kilometer danger zone were allowed to go home by their local officials, as there are not enough resources to continue feeding so many evacuees, he said.
He said while the IDPs are contented with the food given to them at the evacuation centers their being away from their homes has also meant loss of their livelihood.
La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan has not signed an agreement with Himamaylan yet on the transfer of her constituents to the tent city, Lacson said.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development is providing food packs but that is only for the breakfast of the IDPs, the local governments are still funding their lunch and dinner, Lacson said.
“That’s something that has to be answered by OCD before we can even think of moving them (IDPs) to the tent city,” Lacson said.
Aside from the security needed at the tent city, who is going to subsidize the food and the other needs of the IDPs, Lacson said.
Lacson said the P50 million given by the Office of the President to Negros Occidental will be used for the food needs of the IDPs.
The governor said he signed the deed of donation for the funds, which was then sent to Malacañang for signature.
Only after the signed copy of the deed of donation is sent back to the provincial government can the funds be used, Lacson said.*