MAMBAJAO, Camiguin – Saying they didn’t want a repeat of an enormous damage brought by Mount Hibok-Hibok’s last eruption in 1951, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the provincial government of Camiguin conducted the four-day workshop on the formulation of a contingency plan for the province’s response to volcanic eruption.
MOUNT Hibok-Hibok in Camiguin province. It is one of 24 active volcanoes in the country and one of two active volcanoes in the Northern Mindanao region. (Franck Dick Rosete)
Local government units (LGUs) and government agencies attended the workshop.
"This workshop is important for you to consider different scenarios so that, God forbid, if something happens again, be it a volcanic eruption or an earthquake, you are ready," Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said in a mix of English and Filipino during his lecture.
According to the official website of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the last series of eruptions of Mount Hibok-Hibok was recorded from 1948 to 1951.
The minor eruption in 1948 resulted in a little damage and loss of life, according to an article from Mindanews. The eruption in 1949, on the other hand, caused 79 deaths due to landslides.
However, the eruption on Dec. 4, 1951, according to the same article, the volcano “unleashed boiling lava, poisonous gases, and landslides that destroyed nearly 19-square kilometers of land, particularly in Mambajao town.” In total, over 3,000 people were killed.
During the workshop, Solidum highlighted the identification of the hazards and risks and discussed the close monitoring and forecasting, the importance of providing warning and the dissemination of relative information, and the provision of a proper and timely response.
The definition of each alert level for a volcanic eruption was also reiterated by the DOST's top official in order for the LGUs to determine when to partially and fully evacuate the residents.
Camiguin Gov. Xavier Jesus Romualdo said due to the land size, the province will be entirely affected in the event of a Mount Hibok-Hibok eruption.
“That’s why it’s very important that all municipalities and all barangays are involved in the planning because you cannot tell," Romualdo said in a mix of English and vernacular during a press conference on Wednesday.
The product of the four-day workshop that will last until April 15, Saturday, will be the province's contingency plan. The next step will be the conduct of drills and practices of the plan in order for the local authorities to distinguish the necessary things to do.
Gov. Romualdo’s statement was echoed by his father, Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo, who said that the product of the workshop was also the birth of “Task Force Camiguin,” which is not only focusing on peace and security but also providing broader coverage.
There are seven volcanoes in Camiguin, also known as “The Island Born of Fire,” but only Mount Hibok-Hibok is considered active. It is one of 24 active volcanoes in the country and one of two active volcanoes in the Northern Mindanao region, the other one being Musuan Peak in Maramag, Bukidnon.
Solidum said he was open to the idea of conducting similar workshop activities in other areas of the country that have active volcanoes.