President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the release of P203,881,186 to three cities and one town in Negros Island to respond to the needs of residents displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest who remain in evacuation centers.
The president approved the release two weeks ago but the funds will have to be downloaded to the local governments after the May 12 elections, Office of the Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said on Thursday, May 1.
Approved was P62,539,736 for Himamaylan City where a tent city is being prepared to accommodate an increase in evacuees if Kanlaon Volcano’s alert level is raised to four.
Approved for La Carlota City was P63,097,000, La Castellana – P48,521,100 and Canloan City- P29,723,350, OCD data showed.
The amounts will be used for the evacuees food, electricity, medical needs, and for gasoline, Nepomuceno said.
He noted that the funds of the local governments for the care of the evacuees are almost depleted.
Nepomuceno said the ideal solution is to set up permanent relocation sites, which could take some time.
The national government will help but the local governments will have to provide the land, he said.
Nepomuceno said they are discussing a halt to the construction of new houses within the 6-kilometer Kanlaon danger zone with the local governments .*