Vice President Sara Duterte visited residents displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest in Negros Island and distributed rice assistance on Wednesday, April 23.
Duterte, at a press conference at the La Carlota City National High School – Junior High, said she wanted to check on the situation of the evacuees who have been displaced for more than four months.
She distributed 25 kilos of rice to each of the 2,514 displaced families in La Castellana, La Carlota City and Canlaon City on Wednesday.
The rice aid came from a Bacolod businessman, she said.
Hygiene kits will also be provided for the evacuees, she said.
Duterte said her office has been providing assistance to the evacuees since last year.
They had also previously distributed rice assistance, relief boxes, face masks, bottled water, sleeping mats and blankets, she said.
The vice president’s office also deployed its Kalusugan Food Truck in La Castellana and conducted medical missions.
Some evacuees were also given livelihood aid, she said.
Duterte, who met with La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Mangilmutan during her visit, said the mayor wants to establish a permanent relocation site for residents affected by the volcano’s unrest.
She agrees that this is necessary as residents are prone to illnesses if they stay in evacuation centers for long periods of time, Duterte said.
Using schools as evacuation centers displace students, she also pointed out.
“I agree with the long-term plans of the mayor,” she said, pointing out that it is not ideal for residents to be staying in evacuation sites for more than four months.
Mangilimutan said she is thankful for the assistance of the vice president.
Her visit was a moral booster for the evacuees, Mangilumtan added.
The mayor said she was also informed by the Office of Civil Defense that additional aid for La Castellana had been approved by the Office of the President.*