The La Castellana evacuees going home* Neri Jun Paller Cantallopez FB page photo
After nearly eight months of living in evacuation centers about 1,500 residents of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, were finally home on Friday. August 1.
La Castellana Mayor Añejo Nicor said the cost of caring for the evacuees has completely depleted the town’s Quick Response Fund and other resources.
They are appealing for national government help to recover, he said.
The return of the evacuees to their homes on Friday followed the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s lowering of the alert status for Kanlaon Volcano from Level 3 to Level 2.
On Thursday 1,400 evacuees in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, also returned home.
Nicor said the 471 La Castellana families were very happy to return to their homes.
The Office of Civil Defense gave them galvanized roofing to repair their leaking roofs that were damaged by Kanlaon’s ash and sulfur emissions, Nicor said.
There are only 27 La Castellana families from Kanlaon’s 4-kilometer permanent danger zone who are not allowed to go home, he said.
They will be relocated to permanent relocation sites, he said.
Nicor said with the town’s resources depleted they are waiting for the aid promised by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro to be downloaded.
They are appealing for help from the Department of Education for the repair of the roofs of schools also damaged by Kanlaon’s ash and sulfur emissions, Nicor added.
They also need help with the rehabilitation of farms damaged by recent weather disturbances, the mayor said.
He is appealing for aid from all government agencies that can help his town recover and praying that Kanlaon Volcano continues to stay calm, Nicor said.
PERMANENT SITE
Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the provincial government will reduce supplies being sent for the meals of the evacuees with the decampment of many.
The provincial government is purchasing an 8.6-hectare property in Barangay Talaptap, La Castellana, for P15 million for the relocation of residents from Kanlaon’s permanent danger zone and for others who wish to relocate, he said.
The governor has already signed the deed of sale, he said.
The provincial government will also follow up on the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development commitment to develop the Talaptap property, which will cost about P210 million, Diaz said.
“We hope that the response will be very swift,” he said.
The plan is to use half of the land for the housing of the evacuees who will be permanently relocated, and the other half will be given to them for farming, Diaz said.
If the property is not enough for the evacuees there is an adjacent 11-hectare area that the provincial government could also purchase, he said.*