The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said it is leading a comprehensive humanitarian response to address the needs of the victims of Kanlaon Volcano's eruption.
As of Saturday, Dec. 14, a total of 9,813 families or 40,857 individuals from Western Visayas (Region 6) and Central Visayas (Region 7) were affected by the Dec. 9 explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
Of the number, there were 15,533 individuals or 4,661 families staying in 27 evacuation centers while 2,728 individuals or 743 families were taking shelter in other people’s houses.
Asst. Sec. Hernando Caraig, deputy administrator for operations of the OCD, said the coordinated response of the government aims to support affected communities through the fast delivery of relief goods, and coordination with local government units (LGUs) and partner agencies to assess other needs.
Caraig visited the Incident Management Team of OCD-Western Visayas where he personally oversaw the hauling and distribution of food and other essentials for the evacuees.
He also met with the La Carlota City Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) in Negros Occidental to discuss response efforts and turn over non-food items, including 10 emergency tents.
Caraig vowed to deliver additional needs of the evacuees such as electric fans, generators, family kits, and N95 masks.
In Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, Caraig engaged with LDRRMC Chairperson Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas to recommend measures for strengthening evacuation protocols.
“While the population in the affected five barangays totals 23,000, only 6,000 evacuees have been reported from within the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ),” Caraig said.
Caraig recommended to the Canlaon LGU to consult with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for guidance on evacuation orders and prioritization of vulnerable populations.
He also said that food supply needs for internally displaced persons (IDPs) were also raised.
So far, the OCD has distributed P14.79 million worth of relief assistance to the victims of the volcanic eruption including family food packs, hygiene kits, sleeping kits, and financial aid.
Last Dec. 12, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) deployed two S70i Black Hawk helicopters to conduct a rapid damage assessmet and needs analysis (RDANA) through an aerial survey over Negros Occidental and gather critical data on potential hazards following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
The helicopters were also utilized for the airlift of volumes of relief goods for the affected communities.