MORE than P139.28 million worth of assistance, mostly food packs and hot meals, have been provided to communities affected by the continuing unrest of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed.
The department said 5,615 families or 17,780 persons are still displaced in Regions VI (Western Visayas) and VII (Central Visayas). These include 2,945 families or 9,318 persons currently taking temporary shelter in 23 evacuation centers and 2,670 families or 8,462 persons temporarily staying with relatives or friends.
The DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Management, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) office said as of February 2, humanitarian assistance worth P87.6 million had been provided by the agency to affected families, while P16.4 million worth of aid came from the local government units (LGUs), P31.75 million from non-government organizations (NGOs), and P3.49 million from other private partners.
Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, which means there are increased chances of sudden and stronger explosive eruptions that may endanger communities at risk of life-threatening volcanic hazards. It has been under Alert Level 3 since December 9.
The DSWD has advised the LGUs concerned and the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRM) to vigilantly monitor weather conditions as heavy rainfall could generate lahar and sediment-laden stream flows in channels draining at the southern flanks of the volcano. These may affect barangays in La Castellana and Canlaon City.