A total of 5,000 beneficiaries from seven local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental affected by the series of eruptions of Mt. Kanlaon in the past year received PHP25 million in calamity assistance from the Office of the President (OP).
The financial aid, amounting to PHP5,000 each, was distributed by the Presidential Action Center (PACe) during the Presidential Help Desk on Wheels activities held over the weekend in La Carlota City and La Castellana town.
The recipients were from La Carlota City, Bago City, and La Castellana were 1,500 each; Pontevedra, 300; San Carlos City, 100; and Murcia and Moises Padilla, 50 each.
“This program aims to provide direct and concrete help to our countrymen affected by the past calamities,” PACe Director Ryan Joseph Sarte said.
During the distribution of assistance on Saturday, La Carlota City Mayor Jose Luis Jalandoni said the city government is fully committed to supporting and working together with the national government for the recovery of its affected residents.
In La Castellana on Sunday, Mayor Añejo Nicor, who witnessed the payout, thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the assistance received by his constituents.
La Castellana, the worst-hit LGU of the Kanlaon eruption, maintains an evacuation center for about 61 families or 213 individuals, whose homes are located within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone and are expected to move soon to a relocation site being purchased by the provincial government.
Mt. Kanlaon recorded significant eruptions on June 3 and Dec. 9, 2024.
After the volcano’s alert status was downgraded from Alert Level 2 (moderate level of volcanic unrest) from Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest/high level of volcanic unrest) last July 29, around 1,300 displaced families or 4,000 persons in La Castellana, who reside outside the permanent danger zone, were able to return home.
Earlier this month, the joint Regional Task Force-National Task Force Kanlaon for Kanlaon Recovery and Development, led by the Office of Civil Defense, drafted consolidated recovery and development plans covering the evaluated programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) of every affected LGU for prioritization.
In April this year, the President created the National Task Force Kanlaon to oversee and coordinate, as well as lead the implementation and monitoring of all PAPs for the resettlement, recovery, rehabilitation and redevelopment of communities affected by volcanic activities.*PNA
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