San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo recently led the inspection of the proposed site for an evacuation camp in Brgy. Prosperidad*
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is fast tracking the setting up of tent cities in Negros Island, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced that it has P2.7 billion in standby relief resources available amid the threat of a possible surge in evacuees should Kanlaon Volcano erupt.
The DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center said that of its P2,796,800,349 resources available as of Wednesday, Feb. 12, P45.676 million is for relief funds and P2,751,123, 705 is the cost of food and non-food items on standby.
There are currently 2,760 families or 8,803 persons displaced by Kanlaon’s unrest in 23 evacuation centers in La Castellana, La Carlota City and Bago City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, the DSWD reported.
There are also 3,028 displaced families or 9,760 persons temporarily staying with their relatives, it added.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, which means that there are increased chances for sudden and even stronger explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities with life-threatening volcanic hazards, the DSWD said.
Donato Sermeno III, OCD Negros Island Region director, said they are currently fast tracking the installation of tent cities in the province.
In Himamaylan City, 220 of the 500 tents had been installed as of Wednesday, he said.
Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, still has not identified the site of its tent city for the Canlaon City evacuees because of the terrain in the area, Sermeno said.
OPLAN ALAYON
Sermeno said they are sending 300 tents to San Carlos City.
San Carlos City has identified two relocation sites for the Canlaon City evacuees should Kanlaon Volcano erupt.
The two areas are a 3-hectare privately owned property in Barangay Rizal and a 2 to 3-hectare site owned by the city government in Barangay Prosperidad, Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., San Carlos City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, said.
San Carlos City has an Oplan “ALAYON (Abang Alang sa mga Apektado sa Kanlaon)” to assist possible evacuees from Canlaon City, he said.
They are also preparing evacuation centers for the possible evacuation of about 8,000 residents of Barangay Codcod in San Carlos, if Kanlaon erupts, Alingasa said.
They are not really so convinced about the setting up of a tent city that would be difficult to manage, he said. They are eyeing the use of evacuation centers with a tent city as a last option, Alingasa said.
There are already residents from Canlaon City renting houses in San Carlos City, he also said.*