BACOLOD CITY – The Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas projects to spend about P15.3 billion if the alert level at Kanlaon Volcano is raised to Alert Level 4.
The amount will pay for food and non-food items, P606,599,482; water, P189,428,931; facilities, P507,066,638, and cash assistance, P14,008,294,650.
FERNANDEZ (Glazyl Masculino)
OCD-Western Visayas Regional Director Raul Fernandez said that the money is only enough for 30 days based on the data population from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“That’s how big we need,” he added.
Fernandez, chairman of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell (RIACC), said authorities on the national level have been informed of the amount.
Under Alert Level 4, the OCD projects that about 89,600 families composed of 124,000 individuals in the seven to 10-kilometer radius surrounding Kanlaon Volcano will have to evacuate.
Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3 or increasing unrest.
Fernandez said that 13,900 persons have been affected by the Dec. 9, 2024 eruption, fewer than their projected estimate of 18,000 individuals or 4,900 families in five- to six-kilometer radius.
Fernandez said that the threat of a possible eruption is still there and if the alert level is raised to five, the danger zone will expand to 14 kilometers.
He stressed the need to be vigilant and adhere to safety protocols.
“As much as we would want to return to normal situation, we cannot be complacent because lives are at risk,” Fernandez said.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he plans to meet Fernandez to discuss matters related to Kanlaon, including evacuees.