La Castellana Mayor Añejo Nicor*
Mayor Añejo Nicor of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Friday, July 11, said he is appealing for national government help as his town’s funds are already depleted from supporting over 3,000 evacuees.
A total of 3,293 displaced La Castellana residents remain in evacuation centers where they have been living since December 2024 because of the ongoing unrest at Kanlaon Volcano.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the release of P48,521,00 for La Castellana in May, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has yet to download the funds.
Nicor said they have submitted the necessary documents to the DBM twice but have not received any response.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is assisting with feeding the evacuees, he said.
The provincial government had also been providing meals to the evacuees but it ended on July 3, Nicor also said, but added that it may resume soon.
Nicor thanked Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz for their support.
Plans are also underway for the construction of permanent relocation sites for the evacuees in Barangays Talaptap and Robles, he added.*